Blind Revelations
by J. J. Wayne
Summary: Darkness has leaked its way onto the campus of Cardfight University, the most prestigious school of Cardfighters in the world. As the administration begins to be taken hostage, it is up to a group of students to band together and save their school... and ultimately: the world. This is their story as the five students learn to face their hardships together for a single cause.
1. Blind Meets the Blind

**Chapter 1: Blind Meets the Blind**

"You heard the boss," Patrick walks through the door labeled _D. Aldrich, Dark Zone Administrator_ toward the henchmen, who were holding Doctor Aldrich facedown onto his own desk.

"Please," Aldrich pleads. "Leave Cardfight University out of this. We've done nothing to interfere with your—operation."

"Operation, you say?" Patrick stepped closer. "Do you even know what this operation is?"

Aldrich remains silent.

"That's what I thought. Take him out to Falon," Patrick demands the henchmen. "He'll take it from there."

"Aye, sir."

The two henchmen grab Aldrich's arms and lead him toward the door as he struggles to set himself free. He kicks the doorframe on each side and flips himself out of the tight grasp of the henchmen.

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Aldrich yells at Patrick. He pulls a small box from the inside of his jacket and extends it toward the enemy. "I challenge you!"

"Suit yourself," Patrick rolls his eyes.

Patrick grins out of the left side of his mouth before pulling a single Cardfight card from his front jacket pocket. He begins to twirl the card around the fingers of his left hand, too quickly for Aldrich to make out the unit on it.

"Let's play a game," Patrick smiles. He tosses the card into the air, then kicks open a chest lying in the floor, causing more Cardfight cards to explode all over the room, flickering between the two in a thick fog of Amon's Followers, Silver Thorns, Nightmare Dolls, and any other Dark Zone card in between. He pops his face through them all before snatching a single card out of the air and peers in closely to Aldrich.

"But, first, tell me," Patrick grins once more. "Is _this_ your avatar?"

He holds up a single Chronojet Dragon to Aldrich. Aldrich stands speechless before Patrick laughs at the disarray on his face. Patrick snaps a finger and the larger henchman hits Aldrich over the back of the head to knock him out. The henchmen then drag the administrator from the room.

 **Five minutes later in an empty hallway.**

Lux moves his stick on the ground in front of himself cautiously, feeling around for any items on the floor as he walks toward the end of the hallway. He hears a loud voice over the intercom:

"Students and professors, this is not a drill. The university is going on lockdown. We need all students and professors to progress to the nearest classroom and lock the doors. Again, this is not a drill."

Lux sighs impatiently, then feels the wall in front of him with the stick. He moves the stick slightly to the left and feels an open doorway. He walks to the doorway then hears the spring above the door as it begins to close. Lux shoves his stick into the doorway just before the door reaches a close, then shoves the door open and leaps in, before slamming the door closed behind him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lux hears a voice to his left. He pants for a second, but doesn't answer.

"What, are you deaf?" he hears again. "I'm talking to you."

"I was only looking for the Platinum Club," Lux answers.

"Well, you found us. Only students who have earned their way in are allowed in here."

Lux continues to stare straight ahead of himself through his sunglasses.

"Ah—and you are?" he asks.

The room grows silent.

"You don't know who I am?"

Lux shakes his head.

"I'm the President of the Platinum Club and the previous National Champion, so I suggest you pay your respects around me."

"Well, I apologize for intruding," Lux answers. "I was actually looking for you. My name is Lux Tomlin." He extends a hand to his left, a few feet away from the stranger.

"Orlando Wyatt."

Lux feels a warm hand shake his.

"I know who you are," Lux says. "I'm here to join your club."

Orlando laughs. "What makes you think you're worthy to join this club? How many national championships have you won?"

Lux steps back.

"Technically, I haven't won any either," Lux hears a female voice from across the room. "You've won the past three, Orlando."

"But you're the VP," Orlando answers. "I don't even know this guy."

"Then give him a chance," the girl replies.

"Do you know how many rookies come in this room on a daily basis, challenging me to fights like they've actually earned a shot against me?" Orlando groans. "I can't keep doing this, Kat."

Lux hears Kat's footsteps across the room approach him.

"But how many of them are _blind_?" Kat asks.

Lux winces. "How did you—?"

"The name's Katherine Rhodes," Kat touches Lux's hand with her own and shakes it. "I'm the brain around here. Orlando would love to accept your challenge."

"I never said that!" Orlando barks.

"Look," Kat turns to Orlando. "The school is under lockdown anyway. It wouldn't hurt you to play one game while we wait and see what's going on?"

Lux hesitates, then interrupts before Orlando can answer. "You don't have to if you don't want. I understand that you don't take challenges from just anyone. It's just—I just moved here from across the country. I wanted to face the most prestigious you guys had—" Lux grins. "But I guess if you're not man enough to take a challenge…"

"Man enough?" Orlando snaps. "Did you just say I'm not man enough?"

"You shouldn't have done that," Kat rolls her eyes.

"That's it!" Orlando pounds his fist on the nearest table. "I don't care if the lockdown lasts five minutes or five hours; you're going to fight me now. You have no choice."

"I hoped you'd say that," Lux takes off his bookbag and pulls out a small deck box. "I've waited for three years to finally challenge Orlando Wyatt, and I'm not about to waste it."

"I hope you've prepared yourself to be obliterated then," Orlando laughs as he steps onto a stool and pulls a small gold safe from the highest bookshelf. He unlocks it and pulls out a gold deck box. "Just like my father before me and his father before him, I am the greatest Cardfighter in the country, no—the world!"

"You know," Kat raises her finger. "You could stop saying that motto for forever, and I'd never miss it." She scans the room at all the posters of Orlando with the exact motto on the walls and sighs.

She pats Lux on the shoulder. "Good luck. You're going to need it."

Kat grabs a small table and sets it between Lux and Orlando and stands on the side as a judge.

"Thank you," Lux says as he pulls off his sunglasses, revealing his pale blue eyes beneath them. He sets the sunglasses on the table next to his deck box.

Orlando winces as he draws a starting hand, then pulls three cards before saying, "I'm sending three back."

Lux draws a hand. "No mulligan."

Orlando stops shuffling. "None? Are you sure? Kat, make sure he can see his cards correctly."

"You don't have to be a jerk," Kat snaps.

"No, it's fine," Lux answers. "I get that a lot. I take it as a compliment, considering snarky jokes are usually just a sign of intimidation."

"Snarky?" Orlando's face turns red.

Lux nods. "If you weren't intimidated by being challenged by a blind player, you wouldn't show it. But it's okay, I'll go easy on you."

Orlando scoffs. "Well, I _won't_ go easy on you."

He draws his three cards and the two place their right hands on their starting vanguard before both yelling, "Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Neon Messiah!" Orlando yells.

"Fetter Creator, Van!"

 **A few buildings over in a classroom. The chalkboard reads: "How to Beat Time Leap 1101".**

"Marlowe Banks," the professor reads from a clipboard.

"Here."

"Penelope Blake."

Penelope jumps from her slumber. "Here."

"Isaac Blaze."

Isaac jumps from his seat with hand raised high.

"Here, professor!"

"Thank you. You may take a seat, Isaac. I can clearly see you are here."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Isaac leans over and taps Penelope on the shoulder, who once again had her head laid into her arms.

"Penelope?"

She raises her head and squints at Isaac.

"What?"

"What do you think this lockdown is all about?"

"I don't care, Isaac. Let me go back to sleep."

"You should care. We've been trapped in this class for all of—"

"Ten minutes. We've been in here for ten minutes. We still have over an hour before the class is even scheduled to end."

"So what do we do? What if someone broke into the school? What if—?"

"Shut up! There's nothing we can do, except wait. So just shut up, and go to sleep like half the rest of us."

Isaac scans the room to see half the classroom lying their heads down onto the desks. The professor, who has just finished checking roll, sits at her desk and rolls the chair behind her computer. Isaac can barely see her playing Cardfight Vanguard on the screen. He sighs. "Do you want to have a card fight?"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?"

"Well, it's obvious we're not getting out of here for a while. That intercom said this is not a drill."

"…which gives us perfect time to fall asleep.

"Aren't you worried?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Penelope raises her head and sighs, "Clearly I'm not getting any sleep. Look, Isaac, I can take care of myself. I don't need this lockdown and I really don't care what comes after me. Whatever it is, I can handle it."

"Riiight." Isaac looks over and sees two students pull out a table and begin to play a game. "Are you sure you don't want to play?"

"You're not going to leave me alone until I do, are you?"

"Well, no, not really."

"Fine, if it'll shut you up."

Penelope stands up and grabs a small table with one hand, sliding off her backpack with the other. She pushes her desk to the side and then the table between herself and Isaac.

"Just remember, you asked for this," Penelope says.

Isaac nods. "I've never faced you before. What do you even play?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

The two pull out deck boxes and begin to shuffle their decks.

The professor peers across the room at the two and smiles before going back to her online game.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" the two yell.

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" Issac exclaims.

"Blue Wave Dragon, Dagger Master Dracokid!"

A few other students raise their heads and begin to saunter over toward the card fight.

 **Back at the Platinum club room. The damage is tied, 2-2. It is Orlando's turn.**

"Ride!" Orlando exclaims. "Alter Ego Messiah. Call Blink Messiah in front of a Sacrifice. Blink attacks your vanguard for 11000 boosted."

Lux raises his hand to his face, studying. He lowers it back down and places his right hand over his grade 2 vanguard, Kotonoha.

"Guard," he answers as he places Gelgja onto guard circle.

Orlando winces. "Alter Ego attacks with a boost. I shove Blink Messiah into soul and draw a card. Alter Ego will attack for 21000!"

"No guard."

"Twin drive," Orlando starts. "First check: no trigger. Second check: _Critical trigger!_ I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage check: heal trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard and heal a damage. Second damage: no trigger."

"I pass my turn."

"Stand and draw," Lux begins. He places his hand over his damage and feels three cards there, then nods. "I ride. Mythic Beast, Fenrir."

"How does he do this…?" Orlando mumbles.

"When you form a close enough connection to your cards, nothing can stop you from enjoying what you love," Lux continues, then holds up a second Fenrir before discarding it. "I stride: Beast-slayer Military Deity, Tyr!"

"But how do you know which card is which?" Orlando asks.

"They're not just cards," Lux frowns. "Each of them has its own individual vibe. Most of you are too shallow to understand. Only those of us who have learned to appreciate them ever will."

Orlando squints his eyebrows.

"I use Tyr's skill by soulblasting three to look at the top card of my deck, and put it on the top or bottom."

Lux places his hand on top of his deck and frowns. He picks up his deck and moves the card to the bottom.

"You didn't even look at it," Orlando stops him.

"I don't need to. I told you, each has its own vibe. If you must know, the card I placed on the bottom was a stand trigger."

"Uh-huh," Orlando replies.

Lux picks up his deck and reveals the bottom card, Dreaming Dragon, to Orlando.

"Do you believe me now?"

Orlando shakes his head. "Lucky guess."

"I suppose you could say that," Lux rests his vanguard. "I attack with Tyr, boosted by Van, for 31000."

"No guard."

"Drive check," Lux begins. "Critical trigger. I give all effects to my Vanguard. Second check: no trigger. I activate Tyr's skill and soulcharge three cards."

Orlando smirks.

"Then Van's skill triggers. When I drive check a normal unit, I may move him to the soul to draw a card," Lux continues. He smiles at the card he draws. "Third check: no trigger. Tyr activates once more to soulcharge three."

"Damage deck," Orlando begins. "Critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard. Second check: no trigger."

"I pass."

Orlando sighs as he looks at the field. Lux left no rear-guards on the field to lock.

"You disappoint me," Orlando states.

"I'm not surprised. This isn't the first time I've heard that before either."

"Stand and draw," Orlando continues. "I stride: Genesis Dragon, Basaltis Messiah. Then I use Alter Ego's skill to lock Neon Messiah. My vanguard gains 5000 power. Then I call Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf in front of Sacrifice, with an Arrestor Messiah to the other column."

Lux grins.

"Lady Battler attacks your vanguard for 16000 boosted."

"Guard."

"Lady Battler's skill. I will lock it to give Arrestor Messiah an additional 5000 power. Sacrifice's skill. Lock it to give Arrestor another 3000 and I countercharge one. Basaltis will attack next. His skill will unlock Lady Battler, then I draw a card."

"Guard me, Goddess of Fort, Kibitsuhime," Lux replies. "Revelation."

Lux places his hand on top of his deck and then flips the card to reveal Shackle Fetter, Gelgja and moves it to soul.

Orlando sighs, then places his hand on his deck.

"Triple drive. First: no trigger. Second: critical trigger. I give all effects to Arrestor Messiah. Third check: critical trigger. All effects to Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf."

"I see," Lux states. "You intend on attacking me with both rearguards for two critical."

"And you intend on intimidating me by playing around my lock," Orlando snarls. "It won't work."

"I beg to differ."

Orlando rests Lady Battler. "Lady Battler attacks your vanguard for 14000."

"Guard."

"I use the skill once more to give Arrestor Messiah an additional 5000!" Orlando clinches his fist. "Arrestor attacks for 29000 with an extra critical."

"No guard," Lux reaches for the top card of his deck. "First damage: no trigger. Second damage: no trigger."

"I end my turn by unlocking my four units. Neon Messiah will go into soul to search my deck for Alter Ego Messiah. Then I can soulblast four to draw four cards."

"Well, Orlando, I see why you're the champion," Lux begins calmly as he stands his vanguard and draws a card. "You've pushed me to five damage."

Orlando looks away proudly.

"I felt a bit of passion in your play," Lux continues. "Although I feel that you need a little more."

"Who are you to tell me what I need?" Orlando asks.

"Just a friend," Lux answers. "I stride. Mythical Hellsky Beast, Fenrir. I call Kotonoha to my left. Revelation."

Lux picks the top two cards off his deck and places one into soul immediately.

"Kotonoha gains 2000 power. I call another Kotonoha to my right. Revelation."

Lux again picks two cards from his deck, places one into soul without even appearing to pay attention to the cards.

"Are you actually…?"

"I can't express to you enough how I'm doing this," Lux answers. "You're witnessing it yet you still can't see it. Yet _I'm_ the one who's blind."

Orlando scoffs. "You can call as many of those as you want. You'll never break through my hand."

"Probably not," Lux says. "But something about you tells me that you've been wrong before."

 **Meanwhile.**

"I ride! Dragonic Blademaster!" Isaac yells. The other students in the classroom have begun to form a crowd around their game. "Then I stride: Divine Dragon Knight, Mustafa. I use Blademaster's skill to retire your Tidal Assault."

Penelope scowls.

"Mustafa's skill: I retire Blue Wave Marine General, Foivos. Then my Vanguard gains, the on hit skill to countercharge one. I'm going to finish this right now!" Isaac calls a full field, leaving himself with three cards in hand.

"You do realize I only have one damage, right?" Penelope asks.

"Don't worry, I can feel the power! Dragon nation decks never lose."

"Who told you that?"

"It's true. I can't lose as long as I play the best deck, and dragons are the best."

Penelope smirks.

"My left hand Blademaster attacks your vanguard for 18000 boosted."

"No guard."

"Mustafa attacks your vanguard for 31000!"

"No guard."

"Ha! I knew it!" Isaac exclaims. "Here comes the crits! Triple drive: no trigger… no trigger… third: no trigger! I just _knew_ I'd hit more criticals."

"Damage check: no trigger," Penelope replies. "Looks like your deck forgot the memo."

Isaac sighs. "I attack with my right-hand Blademaster for 18000."

"Generation guard. No hit."

"I pass…" Isaac states as he frowns.

"Stand and draw. Stride: Blue Wave Marshal Dragon, Tetra-boil Dragon."

"What's this do?" Isaac asks.

"That's a good question," Penelope answers confidently. "Why don't you watch and see? I call Foivos to my left. Then I call Tidal Assault on the right and Supersonic Sailor. I use Supersonic Sailor to countercharge one. Dagger Master Dracokid's skill: I give my vanguard the ability to draw a card when it attacks, then if it attacks fifth, it gains a critical. Lastly, I call two Bright Shooters, one behind each rearguard."

"Fifth?" Isaac frowns. "How many times are you going to attack me?" He stares down at his six card hand, then looks to see he has four damage. He looks at Penelope's damage and sees three cards there.

"Foivos attacks your vanguard boosted for 16000."

"I guard with a critical trigger," Isaac hesitates.

"Tetra-boil will attack your vanguard next," Penelope continues. "With Anger-boil's skill, I stand both Foivos and its booster. Then, I draw a card. Finally, I'll activate Tetra-boil's skill."

"Generation guard… Denial Griffin!" Isaac exclaims. "Ha! You didn't attack with it fifth, so you don't gain a critical."

"You do realize that Denial Griffin doesn't retire an attacking _vanguard_ , right?" Penelope stares at Isaac.

"Oh… well, in that case, I guard with two 5000 shields for a two to pass."

"Twin drive. Critical trigger…" Penelope scans her field. "I give all effects to my vanguard. Second check: no trigger."

"Phew," Isaac wipes his forehead. "You had me worried there."

Penelope looks up at Isaac out of the top of her eyes before resting Foivos. "Foivos attacks once more, this time unboosted. I use the skill to give it 2000 power and the ability to stand again. This will be 14000 at your vanguard."

"No guard. Damage check: no trigger."

"Foivos will attack again boosted for 24000. I use Tetra-boil's skill on the fourth battle to stand my vanguard."

"What?" Isaac groans. "I _hate_ re-standing vanguards!" He throws down two more cards from his hand for 15000 shield.

"You had three triggers in your hand?" Penelope asks.

Isaac nods.

"Yet you wonder why you didn't hit a triple critical," Penelope shakes her head. "Were you even paying attention?"

"It's all about the cards, Penelope. I play the dragon empire deck, so I'm destined to win. I know it."

"If you say so," Penelope sighs. She rests her vanguard. "Tetra-boil attacks once more for 31000… three critical."

"Three critical?" the whole room bursts into an uproar.

"Oh no… this is the fifth battle," Issac mumbles. "No guard…."

"Twin drive… critical trigger. I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to Tidal Assault. Second check… no trigger."

"I have a chance!" Isaac yells. "I told you! Damage check: no trigger. That's all right… I'm just at five. Second check: heal trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard and stay at five! Third check: another heal! See? I told you I could survive. All I need is one more heal. Final damage…"

Isaac stares at the last card as he picks it up from the top of his deck. His glow turns into a frown slowly.

"Well…?" Penelope asks.

Isaac drops the card into his damage to reveal a perfect guard.

"I can't believe it," Isaac drops his head. "I thought dragon decks always won."

"Everyone has to lose at some point or another," Penelope answers.

"I'll have to admit, I didn't foresee both your Kotonoha gaining that much power," Orlando looks down at his hand, which consists of only four cards. He looks at Lux's field, at each rested Kotonoha and the stood Fenrir.

"So you admit I'm giving you a run for your money," Lux smiles.

"You forget that I still only have four damage, as opposed to your five."

"That can change in just an instant," Lux rests his vanguard. "Mythical Hellsky Beast, Fenrir attacks your vanguard!"

"I assume you stacked criticals on top of your deck with revelation," Orlando smiles. "You see, I'm not the only one who can pick apart the other's strategy. That's why I kept this perfect guard in my hand."

Orlando places his perfect guard into the guardian circle and discards a card.

"You're right," Lux answers. "I did place a critical on top of my deck. Drive check: critical trigger. I give all effects to the left hand Kotonoha. Second check: stand trigger. I give all effects to the same Kotonoha."

Orlando winces at the stood Kotonoha. He peers down at the two cards left in his hand, staring down at the stood rear-guard.

"Third check: stand trigger." Lux steps back for a second. "As tempted as I am to attack you twice, I'm not risking the defensive trigger. Also, if you had a heal in hand to use Lacus Carina, you would have used it before I attacked you with everything. So I know you won't be locking my backrow."

Orlando's face goes pale.

"You see, I'm not the only one reading into the other's strategy. The difference is… I read correctly," Lux states as he stands the booster behind the stood Kotonoha. "I give all effects to my left-hand booster."

Orlando stumbles backward a step or two.

"Kotonoha attacks your vanguard, this time for two critical!"

Orlando looks at the two cards in his hand, then at his field.

 _Even with a double intercept, his rearguard would still pass,_ Orlando thinks to himself. He sighs. "No guard."

"Damage check: heal trigger."

"You don't get to heal, since I'm at five," Lux remarks.

"Right… second check…" Orlando reveals the top card of his deck to find Arrestor Messiah.

"It's not a heal, is it?"

Orlando remains silent.

"I may be blind, but that doesn't mean I can't read my surroundings. That was a good game, Orlando." Lux puts his hand out across the table.

"What makes you think I want to shake your hand?"

"Admit it, Orlando, you've been bested," Lux answers. "Don't worry, this can just stay between the three of us in this room. I'm not interested in any sort of championship, so you don't have to think of me as competition. I only wanted to prove my worth to the best."

Orlando sighs. "I'll admit, I've never met someone as good as you."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Well, other than myself, that is," Orlando fixes his own collar.

"So, am I in?" Lux asks.

"I suppose you're in…" Orlando nods. "But only under the condition that you join my team."

"Your team?"

"Kat and I have a team. We used to have a third member… but she left earlier this year for the military. She went MIA after a month or two and she's presumed to be… well…"

"Say no more," Lux answers. "Although I did say I'm not interested in competition, I suppose I could join your team in honor of your friend."

"Thank you," Orlando takes Lux's hand thankfully.

"Don't thank me. Consider it a thank you to your friend. I'm sure she was noble."

Orlando and Kat look at each other and nod. Kat's eyes fill with tears.

"So, I must ask, why me?" Lux asks.

"You're the only person who's beaten me since she left," Orlando answers. " _She_ was our team captain and leader. So far, I feel as though I could never fill the void she left."

"Sure you can," Lux replies. "I'm sure Kat and I can be there to help you all the way."

Orlando wipes his eye.

"Did I sense… a tear?" Lux turns in Orlando's direction.

"Of course not!"

Just then, the three hear a voice over the intercom.

"Students and professors, this is your Dean speaking. Doctor Aldrich, the administrator of the Dark Zone department, has been kidnapped. Campus is now officially on lockdown until he is found. You may now leave your classrooms, but be advised that no one is to enter, nor leave campus until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation and have a—hey wait! What are you—"

They hear static over the intercom before finally hearing:

"The best is yet to come…" followed by a laugh.

Kat and Orlando stare at the intercom intently, while Lux shivers as he bends his head toward the floor.

 _Author's Note:_

Hey, everybody, thanks for reading the first chapter of my first ever publication on here :) please feel free to leave reviews or PM me questions or what you think so far. I'll try to update and publish a new chapter every week or two. I promise, "The best is yet to come."

Also, just my disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Cardfight Vanguard, nor any of the cards used in this story.

Thanks again! :)

-J.J. Wayne


	2. Knockdown Shootout

**Chapter 2: Knockdown Shootout**

"Students, thank you for paying attention," Doctor Hewitt squints at Penelope, whose head is buried in her arms on the desk. A loud snore echoes off the wall, then dims as Penelope realizes class is being dismissed.

The students begin to leave the classroom as Penelope zips her bookbag, her head still swaying in the dizziness of her slumber.

"Penelope Blake," Doctor Hewitt addresses her. "Could you come to the front for a second?"

She groans and drags her feet toward the professor's desk.

"Yes, Doctor?"

"You're falling behind in my class."

Penelope sneers. "My most recent test grade would say differently, don't you think?" She feels a bump as another student trips while passing by her. She watches him pick himself off the floor and scuttle out without saying a word.

"Participation is a part of this class, Penelope. And sleeping is not going to do you any favors."

"Explain to me how participation in this class will help me to succeed in life. This is a core biology course, and I'm not even in school for this."

"Well," Doctor Hewitt pauses. "What are you in school for?"

Penelope hesitates. She raises her finger, but doesn't answer.

Doctor Hewitt packs the last of his papers into his satchel, then throws it over his shoulder.

"I'll give you time to think on it, and get back to you. How's that?"

Penelope nods.

"In the meantime," the professor continues. "Try to branch out a little more? I understand you're going through a lot, but you can't keep shutting the world out. It will only harm you in the end."

Penelope remains silent.

Doctor Hewitt walks toward the doorway. "I heard you had your first cardfight in months yesterday. Keep shaking off that old rust. You remind me a lot of-"

"Please stop. I don't want to hear anymore of her."

Doctor Hewitt looks down. "I understand. I'll see you next week. Until then, be safe. Rumor has it in these past three days no one has heard from the missing administrators. The school may be on lockdown for another few weeks if things keep going this route."

Penelope nods to the professor, then proceeds toward the other doorway. Doctor Hewitt shoots a smile at her as she leaves, but she doesn't notice. He frowns and walks out, down toward the very end of the dark hallway.

Professor Hewitt opens the door at the end of the hallway, walking out to find himself in a wooded area on the edge of campus. He looks to his left, then his right, and then behind. Once he finds no one around him, he makes his way into the woods, continuing to check for any prospective strangers watching him.

He brushes through the scattered oranges and reds of the leaves on the ground and after several minutes finds a break in the wooded area: his favorite spot, a freshwater pond.

"Peace and quiet," he mumbles to himself. "No one will even notice I'm gone."

He pulls out a book before sitting on a large rock facing the pond. He smiles at the chirping of the nearby insects alongside of the _ribbit_ coming from the toads before opening the book to his bookmarked page.

As the professor reclines himself, he hears a rustling, then feels a rope being thrown around his abdomen. He squirms, but the lasso tightens like an anaconda suffocating its prey. He drops the book facedown in the grass.

"I got 'im, Patrick!" he hears a loud voice yell behind him. He turns to find a muscular man wearing a cowboy hat galloping from behind him. He immediately recognizes the man as one of his former students from the previous semester.

"Markus?" Doctor Hewitt addresses him.

"Yee, dawgy! I can't believe you still remember mah name!" Markus gallops over and gets face to face with the professor. "Sorry 'bout the lasso, Doc. Patrick said I was to make sure ya couldn't get away."

The two turn to see Patrick saunter over from the professor's right. He stops a few feet away, twirling a Cardfight card around the fingers of his left hand.

"Patrick King?" Doctor Hewitt asks. "Markus Falon? What are you doing out here? The university is on lockdown."

"I could ask you the same question," Patrick answers. "But that seems a bit rhetorical. We're just out here enjoying nature, the same as you."

"Then what's with the lasso?"

"Falon already told you. He had to make sure you couldn't get away."

Doctor Hewitt squirms again, but in vain.

"What's all this about, anyway? Are you two responsible for Doctor Aldrich? What about our school dean? Was that you, too? Actually, come to think of it, that did sound like _your_ voice over the intercom…"

"All will be revealed in due time, Professor," Patrick steps closer. He stops twirling the card for a second, smirks, then begins to twirl it again. "Now tell me, are you ready to go?"

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Please don't make this any harder than it has to be."

"You think a lasso will force me to go with you?" Doctor Hewitt snatches on the lasso, then stands quickly with the sudden slack in the rope. Markus gives him just enough slack to stand face to face with Patrick. "I don't know what you have planned, but I suggest you stop before you two make a life-altering mistake. Now let me go; I'm leaving. And do it quickly, before I change my mind about not reporting you to the authorities."

"On the contrary," Patrick answers. "I'm afraid _attendance is mandatory_. But if you choose to fight for your freedom, then I guess a fight is what we shall have. If you win, you may go free. But if we win…" Patrick leans in just inches from the professor. "You _must_ come with us."

"And if I still decline to come?"

"I think Markus and his lasso can outmuscle your…" he looks down at the professor's stomach, obvious that his metabolism is beginning to slow with age. "... _older_ muscles."

"Fine," Doctor Hewitt looks away, defeated. "I guess I don't have much choice. Untie my lasso, and I'll fight you."

"Oh, you won't be fighting _me_ ," Patrick steps back and smiles.

Markus jumps up and begins to untie the lasso. He runs around the professor, unraveling the rope and lifting it over Doctor Hewitt's head.

"Sorry, Doc!" Markus exclaims, "Patrick said I get to have this one!" He turns to Patrick. "You just make sure to tell the boss, _I_ done this."

Patrick stops twirling the card, then pulls out a small box full of more cards. He pulls them out and shuffles them together, keeping perfect eye contact with Doctor Hewitt as he continues.

"You know, Professor," Patrick begins. "I've seen you teach many students, yet never play a game yourself. So, pardon me if I ask…" He then throws the cards into the air, and they scatter all around the two of them as they flutter to their descent. He snatches one between his middle and index fingers and holds up a single card to the professor's face.

"Is _this_ your avatar?"

 **Cardfight University Dining Hall.**

Penelope tightens her grip on her tray as she walks away from the line, scanning the crowded hall for a table. She spots an empty table near the back window and begins to make her way in that direction.

As she reaches almost to the table, she is bumped from behind, causing her to drop her tray into the floor.

"Watch it!" She spins around to see a guy wearing headphones around his neck, staring directly back at her.

"Hey, you watch it!" he yells back. "Can't you see a guy's trying to walk here?"

"Walk? It seemed to me more like _running_."

"I'm in a hurry, sweetheart." He throws his words at her like darts on a board. "Now, would you move out of my way?"

"Too big of a hurry to say 'Excuse me'?" she puts her hand on her right hip. "I know I'm not the most pleasant person around here, but at least I have _manners_."

The guy laughs sarcastically. "I know who you are. You're Penelope Blake, aren't you?"

Penelope says nothing.

"You're nothing like your sis-"

"Don't you dare bring her up!" Penelope stands on her tiptoes and stares the guy in the face. She points her finger onto his chest and digs her nail into his shirt. "I don't know who you think you are, but don't ever… and I mean ever, bring up my older sister again."

"Suit yourself," he answers, then shrugs. "You're jealous because she was always better at everything, aren't you? She got better grades, was a better cardfighter…" his voice trails.

"Shut up!" Penelope yells, loud enough to silence the entire dining hall. "You listen here, you prick, if you think you're so _tough_ , and you want to judge _my_ cardfighting, then let's have it out. Right here. On this empty table." She points at the table, now occupied by a single young guy, with a French fry halfway in his mouth, staring up at the two.

"That table's not empty."

Penelope grabs the young guy's tray out from under his hands and sets it across from a girl. "Here," she says. "First date. Have fun."

The guy scuttles over to his new seat.

"Now there's no excuse," Penelope turns to headphone guy. "I just had my first fight since my sister left, but apparently it looks like I have too much aggression to stop playing."

"Fine," he answers. "But I'll have you know, I'm one of the best at this school. I forced Orlando Wyatt to _miracle_ heal in a meet just last week."

"Ugh… don't say _that_ name either." Penelope pulls out her deck box and begins to shuffle her deck. Headphones guy does the same.

They set up on the table as a crowd begins to form. Penelope can overhear voices in the crowd saying , "Is that her sister?" "When did she start playing again?" and "I forgot she went to school here…"

She rolls her eyes and draws the final two cards of her starting hand.

Katherine walks into the dining hall to see a commotion on the other side of the room. Through the occasional gap in the crowd she can make out a cardfight going on.

"What in the world?" she mumbles as she begins to pace over toward the game.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Blue Wave Dragon, Dagger Master Dracokid!"

"Starting Ripple, Alecs!" headphones guy yells back. Penelope steps back for a second.

"That's right," he answers. "You'll never be the best Aqua Force player at this school. Even with your sister gone, I'm still ahead of you."

Penelope sneers.

"I ride," he says. "Silent Ripple, Sotirio. Then I look at the top seven cards of my deck and add Thundering Ripple, Genovious, a grade 3, to my hand. Pass."

"Draw and ride," Penelope answers. "Blue Wave Soldier, Bright Shooter. I forerunner my starter to the rear-right circle."

"Not behind the vanguard?" headphones guy asks. "You might need the boost."

Penelope ignores him. "Bright Shooter attacks your vanguard for 7000."

"With Sotirio's continuous ability he sits at 8000. One to pass."

"Drive check," Penelope continues. "Critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage check. Critical trigger… and no trigger."

"Pass," Penelope answers.

Headphones guy stands and draws a card.

"Ride," he states. "Tidal Rescue Sea Turtle Soldier. With its skill I look at the top card of my deck and call if the card is a grade 1 or 2." He looks at the card. "Call. Flash Ripple, Odysseus to the back right."

Penelope hears a murmuring from the crowd, but shakes it off.

Katherine makes her way to the front of the crowd to see Penelope and the headphones guy.

"Penelope?" she murmurs. "What's _she_ doing?"

"With Sotirio's skill," headphones guy continues. "I look at the top seven cards of my deck and ride Rising Ripple, Pavroth. Call another Tidal Rescue Sea Turtle Soldier to rear-guard and use the skill once more." He looks at the top card of his deck. "Call a Sotirio to my back left. Now I use Odysseus's skill to put the turtle into soul and search my deck for Rising Ripple, Pavroth. I ride: Rising Ripple, Pavroth."

"This is the third time you've ridden this turn…" Penelope murmurs.

"Don't worry," headphones guy sneers. "You won't last much longer. To finish Odysseus's skill I call the sea turtle back out of soul and it gains 2000 power, making it at 9000 power now. Then, finally, I use the sea turtle once more." He looks at the top card of his deck. "Call. Unruly Ripple, Lapis, then another Odysseus from hand behind my vanguard." He holds up his hand. "Check it out. A full field turn 2."

"At the cost of your hand," Penelope replies. "You're down to two cards."

"Two is plenty."

Headphones guy rests Tidal Rescue Sea Turtle Soldier and the Sotirio behind it.

"My sea turtle attacks your vanguard boosted for 16000."

"No guard."

"With Pavroth's continuous skill, it will sit at 10000 power, and now attack your vanguard boosted for 17000."

"I guard with a 10000 shield," Penelope answers.

"Suit yourself. Drive check. Critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage… no trigger… no trigger."

"Lapis attacks your vanguard boosted for 19000."

"No guard. Damage check: heal trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"I pass," headphones guy looks down. "Three damage on my first attacking turn. You're going to have to catch up. You're still one behind."

"Don't worry," Penelope draws a card. "I plan on it. Ride! Blue Wave Marine General, Damia. I call Blue Wave Marine General, Foivos to my left, and Tidal Assault in front of my starting vanguard."

"Well, this looks fun," headphones guy laughs.

"Call Battle Siren, Mallika. I use her skill and put her into soul to give Tidal Assault 3000 power, putting it at 12000."

Headphones guy nods.

"Tidal Assault will attack your vanguard unboosted for 12000."

"No guard. Damage check: no trigger."

"Tidal's ability will stand it for a cost of 5000 power. Damia will attack second for 9000."

"I guard with a critical trigger for a no pass."

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to Foivos."

Headphones guy sneers and looks down at his hand: both cards are grade 3's.

"Foivos attacks. Skill: Foivos gains 2000 power and the ability to restand at the end of the battle. 16000 with an extra critical at your vanguard."

"I intercept with both of my rearguards."

"Foivos's ability stands it. Attack again for another 16000, two critical."

"No guard. Damage check… no trigger… and _still_ no trigger."

"Sounds like you're the one who needs to catch up," Penelope looks down at headphones guy's damage, which has now gone from two to five. "Tidal Assault attacks your vanguard, this time boosted, for 12000!"

Headphones guy groans, then picks up the top card of his deck.

"No guard." He peers down at the card and looks at it in disgust, tossing a critical trigger into his damage. "That's game."

Penelope puts out her hand to shake his. "I think for that I deserve for you to buy me a new lunch."

Headphones guy scoops up his deck in disgust and walks away abruptly.

Penelope looks down at the tray he left. "Or I can just eat yours."

 **Back to the small pond.**

"I'm sorry, Doc, but I'm gonna have to interfere with your little attack. Generation guard!" Markus yells. He tips his hat at Patrick before picking up his G-Zone. "King of Interference, Terrible Linus."

Doctor Hewitt sighs.

"I use my heal trigger's skill to add itself to the soul," Markus continues.

"I see you've been soulcharging a lot this game," the professor eyes Markus's G-Zone. "You're preparing for something big."

Markus grins and holds up his hand of ten cards. "Ten."

"I end my turn. Fernyiges's skill will retire all four of my rearguards. I draw four, soulcharge four, and countercharge four. How coincidental; we both have ten cards in hand."

"But I can break through yours," Markus pulls a card from his hand and holds it up. "We're both at four damage. Final turn!"

Patrick raises his eyebrows as Markus discards Acrobat Verdi.

"Professor," Markus continues. "It's time for a knockdown shootout! I stride Shootdown King, Miracle Ace! Call: Frog Raider and a Liar Lips in front of it. Liar Lips attacks your vanguard boosted for 11000!"

"Guard."

"My ace stride attacks! Liar Lips goes into my soul and my vanguard gains 5000 power." He draws a card. "Rising Nova's skill lets me grab my buddy Lethal Forward from my deck in front of Frog Raider as charging. Frog Raider's skill makes itself stand."

"Perfect guard," Doctor Hewitt discards a card. "I don't know what you people have in store, but I will do whatever I can to stop it."

"Sorry, Doc, but you can't. The boss said failure isn't a choice for us."

Doctor Hewitt grunts.

"Triple drive. Draw trigger. I give all effects to Frog Raider and draw a card. Stand trigger. Ye dawggy! I give 5000 power to Frog Raider. Third check:" He reveals the third card to see Mayhem Tiger, a grade 2. "No trigger."

"You gave all effects to your booster."

"I know, Doc. He's one big booster, ain't he? I'm gonna boost Lethal Forward with it for a 28000 attack."

"No guard," Doctor Hewitt checks the top card of his deck: Famous Professor, Bigbelly. "No trigger."

"Hehe! Now you're at five! I use Lethal Forward's on hit skill to call Bulldozer Dobe to my other column in charge. Then, Lethal Forward's charge makes me put it on the bottom of my deck. Miracle Ace's skill: I soulblast two to call Devil Watch from my hand in charge! Frog Raider's skill: stand it again!"

"So that's why you have such a big soul."

"Yes, sir-ree! Miracle Ace's skill will give Frog Raider another 5000 power. Bulldozer Dobe attacks your vanguard for 21000."

"Generation guard. Head of the Bastion, Ardillo. No pass."

"Bulldozer Dobe's charge sends it back into my deck. I use Miracle Ace's skill to give Frog Raider 5000 more power. Devil Watch attacks your vanguard boosted for 34000. I soulcharge one and countercharge one."

"Guard," Doctor Hewitt places a 10000 shield on guard circle. "Guard. Guard." He places another 10000 and a 5000.

"You've got three cards in hand now, Doc."

"Thank you, Markus. It's good to know you know how to count."

Markus smiles. "Devil Watch's charge." He puts Devil Watch on the bottom of his deck. "Miracle Ace's skill again. I give Frog Raider 5000 power and call Mayhem Tiger in charge. Frog Raider stands again."

"It's almost as if I'm playing against Nova Grapplers…" Doctor Hewitt mumbles. "This is outrageous."

"Mayhem Tiger attacks your vanguard for 41000 boosted."

Doctor Hewitt looks down at his hand and frowns. "No guard." He picks up the top card of his deck and reveals it: Problem Child, Greybelly.

He sighs. "No trigger."

"Good to know," Patrick saunters up and grabs the professor from behind. "You lost the bet. That means you're coming with us."

"I can't morally do that," Doctor Hewitt answers. He struggles to flee, but Markus picks him up and throws him on the ground. Doctor Hewitt hits his head and passes out.

"There you go, Patrick," Markus points at Patrick. "You just make sure to tell the boss _I_ caught this one." He grins.

"Of course."

 **Dining hall.**

Kat walks back through the dining hall, now carrying a tray. She walks over to Penelope's table, where she sits alone.

"Is this seat taken?" Kat asks.

"Depends on why you're here." Penelope shoves a roll into her mouth and takes a large bite. "If you're here to bring up my sister, I'd prefer you leave."

"I'm not here to talk about her. I wanted to ask how you're doing." Kat seats herself slowly next to Penelope, keeping a steady eye on her.

Penelope continues to eat her food without making eye contact.

"I don't need your pity."

"I know that," Kat answers. "I assure you, I'm not here to pity you. I just asked a simple question."

"Look," Penelope looks up at Kat and leans in to make direct eye contact. "I know you and Alexandria were close. Trust me, I get it. You two had a Cardfight team together. But if you're here to try and get me to fill her shoes, you can forget it."

"That's not at all why I'm here," Kat replies. "I would never try and put a burden on you that you wouldn't want on yourself."

"Good," Penelope nods, then goes back to her food. "Because I want nothing to do with your club, or your team… not until I get an apology from Orlando."

"An apology?"

"Yes, an apology. Alexandria was _my_ sister, not his. Yet he made a big deal out of everything as if he was family, and never once tried to console me. _None_ of you did."

"Penelope, you have to understand…"

"I don't have to understand anything, Kat. You and your 'Platinum Club' kicked me to the dust when all I needed was a little consolation. Told me I wasn't good enough to talk to or hang with any of you. I didn't want to compete; I didn't even want to cardfight. I simply wanted someone to talk to. But all you people think about is yourselves."

"I'm sorry. You're right."

"Is that sincere? Or are you just saying that because I'm a good fighter now?"

Kat raises a finger, but Penelope stands up and brushes away. She paces toward the bin to throw away her tray and leaves Kat to sit and watch her, wearing a frown.

 **Platinum Club Classroom.**

"Sorry, I'm late," Lux hurries into the doorway, sliding his sunglasses back up his nose and setting his walking stick next to the door. Orlando is standing just across the room behind a table, straightening one of the many posters of himself on the wall.

"Where were you?"

"I got turned around on the way to the building. I haven't exactly got used to this campus yet. Don't worry, though; I'll have the entire map remembered by the end of this week, down to the exact pace."

"That's a bit strange," Orlando answers. "But I can understand considering you operate differently than I do." Orlando causally gestures toward his own eyes.

The two hear an announcement overhead from the intercom.

"Students and professors, my name is Patrick King. I have hi-jacked this intercom to report to you that Doctor Hewitt, the Zoo Nation administrator, has now also been kidnapped. With three of your major faculty members under our supervision, it is in all of your best regards to do exactly as we say. The Dark Zone has staged a mutiny against its administrator, and against Cardfight University, and we will stop at nothing until we have staged a full takeover."

"What in the-" Orlando mumbles.

"For those of you who try to fight, don't," Patrick continues. "For those of you who try to run, don't. For those of you who think you can outsmart us, you can't. We have captured Dean Aldrich and even the most intelligent professor known to mankind, Doctor Hewitt. If we can outsmart them, we can outsmart you. Please, don't try to interfere with our plan and you will all be able to continue on your lives freely at the newly named Dark Zone University."

"What if I don't want to play in the Dark Zone?" Orlando cocks his head.

"Let the darkness spread among you all, and then, the world!" Patrick exclaims, then laughs into the intercom. His laugh fades until it is completely quiet and the intercom turns off.

"I feel like he was calling me out," Orlando looks over at Lux. "Did that quote sound familiar to mine?"

 _Author's Note_ :

Hello again, readers! Thanks again for reading another chapter of my first work on this site, _Blind Revelations_. I hope you all enjoyed it and I'd love to see what you all think so far. Just drop a review or PM and let me know.

Once again, I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor any of its product used in this work.

Thanks again,

J. J. Wayne


	3. Dark Zone University

**Chapter 3: Dark Zone University**

 **Dark Zone Administration Building. 7:21 A.M.**

Adrian Thane takes off his headphones and walks up to the entrance of the building. He peers up to the sky as the clouds form an upward funnel just above his head. He sees lightning shooting throughout the funnel, and the swirling of clouds all around it. At the very top is pitch blackness. He shivers, pulling out his Ripple deck from his bookbag and runs his fingers through the deck again.

"I'll show _you_ , Penelope Blake," he mutters. "You might think you're better than me now. But you can't win all the time." He slides the deck back into his bookbag and makes his way inside to find a woman sitting behind a lobby desk.

"How can I help you?" the woman asks.

"I need to speak to a 'Patrick King', I believe."

"The guys are a bit busy upstairs," she answers. "Can I ask you what reason you may have to be here?"

"Never mind," he shakes his head. "Obviously I'm not going to get anywhere talking to _you_."

They hear the sound of an elevator ring as the doors open across the lobby.

"Nonsense!" Patrick proceeds from the elevator. "I know you! Your name is Adrian… Thane, am I right?"

Adrian nods.

"I overheard you say you're here to talk to me," Patrick continues. "Why don't we head upstairs to my office and we'll talk."

Patrick gestures Adrian toward the elevator and the two walk over and step inside.

As the two step out of the elevator in silence, Patrick leads Adrian toward an office room, with an old bronze plate that has black spray paint over it. Just under the plate the name "Patrick King" is spray painted.

"I take it this became your office after the recent takeover?" Adrian asks.

"You would be right," Patrick answers. "How often do you see students get their own administration offices? Please, sit."

Patrick seats himself behind a desk and gestures for Adrian to sit.

"Look," Adrian says. "Let me get right to the point. You're the boss around here, right?"

"Excuse me?"

"You. You're the boss of this whole Dark Zone University operation, aren't you?"

Patrick shakes his head.

"I'm afraid not. You see, Adrian, I'm just the devil's right hand man." Patrick pulls a Cardfight card out of his shirt pocket and twirls it within his fingertips. "But what brings you here to ask me such a question?"

"I'm here to make a deal with the devil."

Patrick smiles. "Is that so? So you're saying you willingly want to join the dark side?"

Adrian nods.

"And what reason do you have for this?"

"It's simple," Adrian replies. "I want to be on the winning team."

A grin grows over Patrick's face as he stands from his desk.

"I like the sound of that," Patrick says. He walks around the desk and puts his arm around Adrian. "Now I'll say my boss is a bit on the… strange side. But you'll warm up to his… personality."

Patrick takes the card he had been holding and flicks it behind him. The card, Thundering Ripple, Genovious, lands perfectly onto a candle at the top of the desk and goes up in flames. Adrian doesn't notice and the two leave the room as the card melts to ashes.

 **Top floor.**

The elevator door opens and Adrian finds himself and Patrick at the end of a long hallway, with only one door at the other end.

"He's in there," Patrick points at the door.

"Well, aren't you going to lead me in?" Adrian crosses his arms.

"As much as I'd love to do that," Patrick starts. "The boss would rather speak to future clients on his own accord. That way there's no bias to his judgment."

"Judgment?"

"Well, you've already made it this far," Patrick re-enters the elevator and presses a button. "Now go. There's no turning back now."

The elevator doors shuts, leaving Adrian alone in the hallway. He turns back to the door and slowly walks down the hallway.

He opens the door with a small but high-pitched squeak to find the room completely dark. He looks around but sees nothing in the pitch blackness.

"Hello?" he calls.

"Close the door."

Adrian walks into the room and closes the door behind him.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asks.

"Not at all. Come closer."

Adrian hears faint footsteps on the other side of the room. He hears a _flick_ and a small candle lights on the other side of the room. Adrian begins to make his way toward the candle.

Once Adrian reaches about halfway across the room, the voice abruptly says, "Stop!" and he stops in a sudden jolt of fear.

"D-do you prefer to work in darkness?" Adrian stutters.

A pair of glowing red eyes appear in front of him and he hears the voice come from just below them.

"Many people need light in order to survive, to perform, to prosper in their lives. But a man who has adapted to the darkness has an edge over them all," the voice answers.

"I see," Adrian replies.

"No you don't," the voice says. "At least not yet. Now tell me why you're here."

"I want to join the winning side."

"And you think this is the winning side?" the voice asks him. "What makes you so sure?"

"You seem to have accomplished a lot in just a little time. I mean, with the kidnappings of the Dean… and Doctor Hewitt…"

"You say kidnap," the voice interrupts. "I prefer to use the word 'borrow'." He pauses for a second, then speaks again. "Back to the task at hand, what makes you think we would have someone like you?"

The red eyes move just close enough and stare deeply into Adrian's. Adrian looks down and can barely make out the figure of the person in front of him.

"You tell me," Adrian answers. "What do I have to do to prove myself? I can do it in a fight if you want."

"That's not necessary," the voice says. His eyes stare deeply into Adrian's, peering through into his soul.

Adrian tries to look away, but the eyes lock his into a perfect stare. He attempts to say something, but his jaw refuses to budge.

"I can see everything about you, Adrian Thane," the voice says. "You're a very strong fighter, with a burning passion for his own hopes and dreams. You're a man who will let nothing stop him from accomplishing his goals and a man after my own heart. But I see you are not a Dark Zone player."

"Is that a problem?"

The eyes blink. "Yes. But we will fix that now."

Adrian feels a dark presence surround him, wrapping him up like vines around a fence, pulling at each of his appendages and keeping him from moving a muscle. His deck box rises out of its back and floats down in front of him before opening itself up. The man with the red eyes extends his hand and the deck slowly falls into perfect place within it.

"You have a passion for winning," the voice says. "...a passion to prove that you're the best fighter. Joining us will make you stronger, but you must let go of this deck and learn the ways of the Dark Zone. Do you accept?"

Adrian attempts to speak, but his jaw still refuses to move.

"Don't worry," the voice says. "I can see your every thought just by looking into your soul. And I can see that you're ready to accept the darkness."

Adrian's eyes widen as his deck burst into flames in the other man's hand. He feels dizzy for a minute before losing consciousness. He looks at the deck once more and his old avatar at the top: Thundering Ripple, Genovious.

 **Several hours later. Cardfight Awareness 3100 Classroom.**

"All right, class," the professor walks around the front of the classroom. "Welcome back to Cardfight Awareness 3100. I've read over some of your assignments lately, and I would like some of you to share what you think would be best in certain situations."

Orlando continues to steadily take notes into his notebook.

The professor continues, "Such as: what strategies have some of you used in order to keep your opponent from maintaining a full field? Did these strategies work, or have you learned from these experiences?"

Orlando's hand shoots into the air.

"Yes, Mister Wyatt. I assumed your hand would be one of the first to rise."

"Well, Professor," Orlando stands and fixes his collar confidently. "Last year in the playoffs for the National Championship, I played against a Nova Grappler deck. I won by locking down his entire board, rendering his field completely defenseless."

A few students peer at Orlando in disgust. Orlando eyes the professor, who is staring at him in shock.

"Orlando, I know this is a university and all, but we don't speak of those kinds of things in my classroom. Other professors might let you get by with it, but please refrain from such language in here with me."

"Excuse me?"

The professor walks toward the center.

"Students," she addresses. "Please refrain from following his outrageous comment. Does anyone have a correct answer?"

Another hand shoots up.

"Yes?"

"Well, I've found myself that using the stride 'One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot' has been very useful in keeping the opponent's field nice and empty," the student answers.

"Yes, that is one correct answer," the professor glares back at Orlando, who seats himself slowly, puzzled.

Another student raises his hand.

"I play Chronofang Tiger," he asks. "Is there any suggestion you would have for me?"

"I'm glad you asked," the professor answers. "You have options as well, including Bind Time Dragon, or even Chronotiger Gear Glare. These are both exceptional strides to help get rid of an annoying board state."

One more student raises his hand.

"Professor, I play Narukami. I find that I can keep-"

"Please," the professor interrupts. "Enough with these inappropriate comments. Keep your answers Dark Zone specific only. It's not like this university isn't called 'Dark Zone University'."

Orlando exchanges confused expressions with the Narukami student, then looks at his own watch. He rolls his eyes and picks up his bookbag, then leaves the classroom.

 **Penelope and Isaac's classroom from Chapter 1.**

"Penelope," Isaac nudges Penelope, who once again is asleep on her desk. "Penelope, wake up."

"I don't want to play again," Penelope groans. "Now leave me alone."

"Please, wake up," Isaac nudges her again. "It's important."

"What could be so important that you have to wake me up _again_?" Penelope remains with her head on her desk. "The name of this class is literally 'How to Beat Time Leap 1101'. Anyone who's played against it knows to hit a defensive trigger."

"Or just Bellog when they swing Melem so you can retire the rested Ur-watar," Isaac laughs.

"You know to do that, but you don't know that Denial Griffin doesn't work against a vanguard attack…" Penelope sits up, her eyes red and watery from a lack of sleep.

"Don't judge my playstyle, okay?" Isaac eyes Penelope. "I don't judge your choice of running a restander."

"I'm going to ignore that and go back to sleep."

"Wait," Isaac grabs Penelope's arm. "I wanted you to see this." He points at the board in front of the classroom, where the professor is standing, teaching the rest of the class.

Penelope looks up to see a projection of Steam Maiden, Melem on the board.

"Yeah, that's Melem. What about it?" she asks.

"Well, I don't run it in my deck…" Isaac answers.

"That's because it's a Gear Chronicle, you idiot… what are you trying to tell me?"

"The professor keeps saying it's a must in all of our decks. I don't understand… I don't have any of this stuff in my notes."

Penelope sighs. She listens in on the professor's lecture.

"Remember, class," the professor teaches. "Melem here is an absolute must for this classroom. You cannot pass this class without it. Now, tune in as I show you a first stride ten attack combo…"

Penelope and Isaac look at each other in confusion, then Penelope eyes the room as if in search of clues. Her eyes skim over the blackboard before glancing back at the classroom name.

"Isaac," she whispers.

"What is it? Did you find something?"

"I think we're in the wrong classroom."

Penelope discreetly points at the board, and Isaac looks at the words: "How to Play Time Leap 1101".

"That doesn't make sense," Isaac answers. "This is the same classroom, the same professor…"

"Maybe that Patrick guy was serious. What if this place is transforming into 'Dark Zone University'?"

"What does that mean for us?"

Penelope looks down at her desk without answering. The bell rings, and students all over the classroom begin to stand from their seats and leave.

 **Platinum Club Classroom.**

Orlando walks into the classroom and sets down his bookbag on the table to find Lux and Kat sitting across the room.

"Did you two see those clouds outside?" he asks. "I just noticed on the way back from class and…"

Kat squints at Orlando, then looks at Lux.

"Sorry," Orlando mumbles. "That was insensitive of me."

"No offense taken," Lux takes off his sunglasses and continues to stare in front of himself. "While I didn't see anything, I did feel a dark presence over campus as I was walking earlier. Something definitely isn't right about all of this… and it's affecting classrooms too. I turned in a paper this morning about strategies of playing my favorite deck, obviously revelation. My professor gave me a zero for not following instructions because revelation isn't from the Dark Zone."

"My professor did the same thing!" Kat's eyes grew. "It's like this whole university has gone under some sort of spell!"

"Well, not the entire university," Orlando replies. "There seem to be students who haven't been affected yet. Although apparently our classrooms have converted…"

"So maybe only the staff is affected?" Lux asks.

"Maybe, and some of the students, too," Orlando answers. "Just not all of us."

"...yet." Kat answers. "For all we know, this could just be the beginning."

"So what do we do?" Lux asks.

Orlando walks over to the bookshelf and climbs up. He pulls out his gold safe and opens it, then pulling out his gold deck box. "We could fight it."

"Just us?" Kat steps forward. "Against the _entire_ Dark Zone? That doesn't sound like a good idea, especially if the school is starting to turn against us."

"What other choice do we have?" Orlando asks. "We could be next. And I didn't completely fill this Messiah deck with SP's just to sit around and play something else. I say we assemble a team of strong fighters and figure out what's going on around here before it's too late."

Kat hesitates.

"What about you, Lux? Are you with me?" Orlando asks.

"Unfortunately, I can't think of a better option," Lux answers. "It does seem as though we'll have to fight it. But promise me we'll weigh all other options first should they arise. We still don't even know what their motives are."

"Deal," Orlando responds. "Although brainwashing an entire college campus probably doesn't point to good intentions."

"Point taken," Lux nods.

"So what about you, Kat? I could use my VP."

Kat rolls her eyes. "Fine. I'm in. Could I make a recommendation about another recruit for the team?"

"He needs to be strong," Orlando interjects. "I can't have a bunch of rookies running around here. I need him to prove that he's worth working with us."

"Well, _she_ is a strong fighter," Kat answers. "Much stronger than she was the last time I saw her. Look, I know you two have your differences, but she'd be really essential to the team. I watched her fight Adrian Thane in the dining hall just a few days ago."

"Adrian Thane?" Orlando turns around and puts his hand to his chin. "The guy that plays Ripple Rush?"

"That's the one," Kat answers. "The one that's been claiming to be the best Aqua Force player at the school since…"

"You don't have to tell me," Orlando interrupts. "I know exactly who he is. He bragged about forcing me to miracle heal not too long ago when the truth is he stayed on grade two for three turns and I couldn't draw into good guard."

"Did you win?" Lux asks.

"Barely," Orlando answers. "Everyone gets lucky every now and then, and he had his stroke that day. Yet he still didn't beat me."

"Well," Kat continues her story. "I watched him lose on grade two last week."

"Well, considering he rarely goes to grade 3, you usually do have to beat his grade two vanguard," Orlando replies. "I don't see how that's impressive."

"No, you don't understand," Kat says. "He was beaten the turn his opponent rode to grade two. He only got one attacking turn before he lost."

Lux and Orlando stare at Kat in shock.

"You're kidding," Orlando answers.

"I'm not," Kat shakes her head. "I saw the whole thing. Then he got angry and left. I know what class his opponent is in right now, but we'll have to hurry if we intend on catching her."

"If she can beat him that quickly, she's worth a spot on our team. I don't care who she is," Orlando says. "We need to find her now."

"Are you sure about that?" Kat asks. "I mean… I haven't even told you who she…"

"Didn't you hear me?" Orlando throws on his bookbag. "You've convinced me. Let's go! What are you two waiting for? Take me to her!"

Orlando gestures Kat toward the door. Kat grabs Lux's hand.

"Oh, no thanks," Lux waves his other hand. "I've finally memorized the campus map. As long as you two lead the way, I'll follow the sound of your footsteps."

"All right, if you're sure," Kat lets go of his hand. He uses it to grab his walking stick and the three leave the classroom.

 **Just outside "How to Play Time Leap 1101".**

Isaac and Penelope proceed out of the room and down the hallway. Penelope continues to watch straight ahead, while Isaac looks around nervously. He looks out the window and gasps.

"Penelope!"

"What do you want now, Isaac?"

"Look at this…" Isaac steps aside and lets Penelope peer from the window.

Penelope puts her face to the glass and sees giant dark clouds circling in the sky, appearing to form a large funnel spinning upward within the clouds above a building on the other side of campus.

"What is that?"

"That would be the Dark Zone administration building," Penelope looks at Isaac.

"I meant the clouds," Isaac forces up the lump of words stuck in his throat. "They look spooky."

Penelope rolls her eyes. "We've got bigger things to worry about than spooky looking clouds." She begins to walk away.

"Not if they're connected to this whole Dark Zone University thing!" Isaac chases after her. "Look. I know I'm not the brightest, but I could be telling the truth here."

Penelope shakes her head and continues walking.

"Penelope," Isaac calls. "Don't leave me here alone."

"Why?" she spins around and stops. "Are you scared?"

"No!" Isaac pauses. "Yes… but that's because I'm not like you. I don't have this carefree 'I can take care of myself' attitude, okay? I mean, what if the university really is changing? What if something bad is happening and there's nothing we can do about it?"

Penelope raises her finger, then pauses and bows up her chest. "Then it happens. What do you propose we do? Fight it? We don't even know what _it_ is!"

Isaac looks down. "Just… I'd feel safer with you, that's all."

Penelope sighs. "Fine. If that's how it's going to be, then you can stick with me for a while. But if you do anything stupid…"

"I won't!" Isaac puts his hand to his forehead to salute.

"Put your hand down before I break it," Penelope scolds him.

"I'm sorry!" Isaac immediately puts his hand to his side. "I didn't think… your sister… I'm sorry."

"I told you not to bring her up," Penelope mutters. "I'm going to the bathroom. Don't follow me in."

Isaac nods. Penelope opens the door to the women's restroom and walks inside, while Isaac stands outside the door and waits.

 **Top floor of the Dark Zone Administration building.**

Adrian wakes up lying in the floor. He sits up and finds the room still completely dark, and now even the candle is no longer lit. He slowly feels his way around on the floor before finally finding the door and stands up, finding the knob. As he opens the door, he finds Patrick standing in the doorway, facing him.

"Good morning," Patrick smiles slyly, twirling a Cardfight card in his hand. "Sleep well?"

"Where'd he go?" Adrian asks.

"The boss? He comes and goes as he pleases. You know we all have lives around here." Patrick puts his arm around Adrian and begins to walk him down the hall toward the elevator.

"He burned my deck."

Patrick teases a small laugh.

"You must not have been a Dark Zone player."

The elevator opens up an the two step inside as Patrick presses another button and they begin to descend.

"I'm not," Adrian answers.

"You _weren't_. You are now." Patrick reaches into Adrian's bookbag and pulls out the old deck box before handing it to Adrian. "This was yours, right?"

Adrian nods as the door opens and the two step out.

"Welcome to the team. I'm sure you'll like your new avatar."

Patrick flips the single card in his hand backward as he walks away from Adrian. Adrian catches the card, then looks at it and over at the deck box in his other hand, then smiles menacingly as he watches Patrick leave.

 **Back outside the bathroom.**

"Hurry up!" Isaac yells at the bathroom door. He looks around at the empty hallway. "It's getting weird out here."

"Don't rush a lady when she's in the bathroom!" Penelope yells back. "Don't you have manners?"

"What takes you women so long in there anyway?" Isaac asks. He suddenly feels a tap on the side of his foot and jumps when he sees three people standing in front of him.

"My apologies," Lux says as he pulls his walking stick away from Isaac's foot. "I didn't mean to hit you."

"That's all right," Isaac answers. He looks over at the other two, then gasps when he sees Orlando. "Wait! I know you! You're-"

"Yes, you don't have to say my name," Orlando rolls his eyes. He looks over at Kat. "Would you please tell me where we're going now?"

"Almost there," Kat says.

Just then, Lux lets out a harsh yell, grabbing his head with both hands and dropping his walking stick.

"Are you okay?" Isaac asks. He and Kat grab Lux from each side and hold him up to keep his balance.

"My head… it hurts…"

"We need to find somewhere for you to sit," Kat begins to look around.

"My old advisor's office is just down the hall," Isaac says to Kat. "She used to keep some medicine in her desk all the time. I know because I used to get motion sickness every time I-"

"Could you please hurry and take us there?" Kat asks. "I hate to interrupt, but I don't think I can hold him much longer."

"Definitely!" Isaac exclaims. He and Kat hold Lux's arms over their shoulders and walk down the hallway, away from Orlando.

"Hey, wait!" Orlando calls. "What do you want _me_ to do?"

He waits, but hears no answer as he watches the three walk farther down the hallway. He looks at the women's bathroom door, then around the hallway.

"Well, this is awkward…" he mumbles.

He hears the sound of a paper towel dispenser from inside the bathroom, then a loud metal clanging of a garbage can. The door swings wide open and he's met face to face.

"Orlando."

"Penelope."

 _Author's Note:_

Once again, thank you all so much for reading! So far, coming up with these ideas and writing has been a blast, and I can't thank you all enough for being a part of it. Please, if you can, drop a review or PM me and let me know what you think, as this is my first publication on this site. I would love the feedback as I'm using this to hone my skills in becoming an author.

Again, thank you so much!

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	4. Souls of the Strong

**Chapter 4: Souls of the Strong**

 **Platinum Club classroom.**

"I thought you said Kat got out of class ten minutes ago," Penelope groans at Orlando. The two make unwanted eye contact and quickly look away from each other.

"She does," Orlando touches one of the posters of himself in the far corner. "She probably got held up doing something."

"Doing what exactly?" Penelope asks. "You told her not to go to class. With all the professors falling under this Dark Zone hypnosis it's not like she's going to actually learn anything."

"Kat has had perfect attendance since before I knew her. She's not about to ruin it now."

Penelope sighs. "I don't even know how I let her talk me into coming in this room."

Penelope looks over at the other side of the room at a glass case against the wall, containing a trophy easily bigger than her head. She walks over and runs her hand along the top of the case, staring down at the trophy with the plate "Alexandria Blake: World Champion" stamped into it.

Orlando notices Penelope eyeing the trophy and frowns.

"Your sister was going to have some competition this year," he says. "She and I were finally going to be in the same age group, so I'd be able to challenge her at Worlds."

"Don't talk about my sister."

"You know, you're not the only one who lost her. She was my teammate and one of my best friends."

"I said don't talk about her, Orlando."

Across the room, Lux and Isaac are playing a game.

"I sense some serious tension coming from those two," Lux mumbles.

"Penelope doesn't really get along with Team Undisputed, er, well, what's left of them."

"Team Undisputed?" Lux asks. "Orlando told me our team was called Team Platinum."

"Team Undisputed was their _old_ team. It was Orlando, Kat, and Penelope's sister, Alexandria. She played Aqua Force. I watched their team play at several different events, and win some really big tournaments. They were a force to be reckoned with all over the country."

"Shh… they got quiet," Lux whispers. "Vanargandr attacks your vanguard for 26000."

Isaac discards a heal trigger from his hand and reaches for his G-Zone. "Denial Griffin's skill: I retire the attacking unit."

"You do know that doesn't work against a stride, right?" Lux shakes his head.

 **Just outside the Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Kat walks down the sidewalk alongside of her professor.

"That was a nice lecture you gave us on the advantages of magia when playing against Dark Irregulars," Kat says. "The ability of getting rid of one's own rear-guards really helps when your opponent is playing strides that can boardwipe the field."

"Thank you," the professor replies. "I just wish the rest of my students could see what you do in those lectures. Recently, I've been feeling a bit _detached_ , per se, from the students in my classes. It's almost as if I'm teaching them in a foreign language."

Kat squints. "Isn't that… strange… I have noticed that in a lot of my classes lately."

"Hmm… maybe I should do a little research into that," the professor nods. "If you'll excuse me, I must head to my next lecture."

Kat nods, and the professor walks away. Kat looks over at the Dark Zone building, then looks around before scurrying around the back.

"All right, Patrick," she mumbles. "Let's see what you people are up to in there."

Kat looks up the back wall of the building and looks around for anyone watching. Upon seeing the coast is clear, she pulls a pair of gloves out of her bookbag and puts them on. On the fingertips, the gloves retract small claws and she presses them into the wall, digging in to keep traction. She does so with each hand, and begins to climb up the side of the building.

Upon reaching the top window, she looks down and shivers before pushing open the window and crawling into a large empty hallway. She tiptoes across until she hears voices coming from a room. She presses her ear to the door.

"I could always lasso up some more professors," she hears. "I've been practicing my hog tying all week!"

"That's not going to do it," she remembers this voice as Patrick from the announcement. "The boss said kidnapping the Dean gave us the edge we needed over the staff, but we still haven't conquered the student base of the school."

"Then how do we do that?" asks an unfamiliar female voice.

"The same way we placed the staff under our spell," answers Patrick. "But this time… with students. We captured the most elite members of the staff in order to catch all of the weaker members within our spell, and now we must do so with the students."

"We can't just start kidnapping the most elite students to harvest their souls," the female replied. "The professors were already suspicious enough. But students…"

"Harvest their souls?" Kat whispers to herself.

"It's true," she hears another voice. "We did already have one near-death experience with Doctor Hewitt. If a student dies on campus, families will get involved…" the voice trails.

"We don't have a choice!" Adrian's voice pipes up. Kat remembers the voice from the cafeteria. "Patrick is right. We'll just have to take extra precautions to make sure our operations goes smoothly and safely."

"Right," Patrick agrees. "Besides, once the operation is over, everyone will be safe and sound. And _everyone_ will be under our spell."

"Down with the others!" the female yells.

"Rise up, Dark Zone!" they all yell.

Kat backs away from the door and gasps quietly.

"I have to tell Orlando…" she whispers. She begins to pace down the hallway back toward the window, when she trips over a bump in the rug. She falls to her hands and knees, and before she has time to pick herself up, a hand reaches down to help her up.

"Thank you," Kat takes the hand and picks herself up. She looks up to see Adrian standing before her.

"You're welcome..." he answers, then looks at her crossly. "... _spy_."

Adrian gestures toward the open window behind him.

 **Platinum Club Classroom.**

Orlando and Penelope remain silent. Penelope peers over to Lux and Isaac, who have just finished picking up their cards from their game.

"So, be honest," Isaac leans over to Lux. "Are you _really_ blind?"

"You just played a game with me, and you still doubt it?"

"Well, I mean…" Isaac mutters. "Here, how many fingers am I holding up?" He holds up two fingers on his right hand in front of Lux's face.

"Two in front of you," Lux answers. "You also have three held up behind your back."

"What? No I-" Isaac moves the fingers on his left hand and realizes he has three fingers up in that hand. "You cheated. You can't even see that hand."  
"I can't see _either_ of your hands!"

"Guys," Orlando walks over to the two. "I still haven't gotten any messages from Kat.  
We need to figure out where she is."

Isaac nods. He and Orlando look over to Penelope, who nods. Lux slumps in his seat and grabs his head with both hands before tucking his head between his knees.

"Lux, what is it?" Orlando asks.

"It's my head again," Lux answers. "My headache is…" He jumps back, raising up in his seat and his eyes pop open as they stare straight ahead.

"Lux, what's wrong?"

"I guess you thought you'd get away with this, didn't you? Snooping in here like you wouldn't be caught. That's all right. You can be our first student captive."

"I wasn't spying, honest!" Kat's voice yells. "Please, just let me go and I won't tell a soul."

"Speaking of souls… my friend Patrick needs yours for a while…"

Lux feels a tugging on his arm. He tries to pull his arm back, but he can't move it.

"Listen, here!" Kat yells. "If you want my soul, you're going to have to fight me for it!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Right here, right now. That way you'll already be in the Dark Zone Administration building so I can lead you away straight to Patrick."

Lux snaps back to his slump in his seat. He rubs his head a little, and his headache is almost gone.

"What happened?" Isaac leaps over. "Oh! Did you have a psychic 'revelation'?" He laughs and turns to Orlando and Penelope. "Get it? Because of what deck he plays?"

"I… I just did."

Orlando, Isaac, and Penelope rush over to Lux and kneel next to him.

"Seriously?" Penelope asks. "Or are you just screwing us?"

"No, I just had some sort of revelation," Lux answers. "But it's about Kat. She's in the Dark Zone building, and she needs help, and fast."

The others all look at each other.

"Kat told me not to do this, so she could go and steal all of my spotlight!?" Orlando throws his arms up. "That little-!"

"Or she was just curious about their plan and wanted to get more information," Lux answers. "She is a seeker of knowledge, after all."

"I can't believe her!" Orlando yells.

"Look, do you want to save your friend or not?" Penelope asks. "Because if so, we need to go now."

"Right," Orlando answers.

The four of them grab their bookbags and scurry toward the doorway. Lux grabs his stick on the way out.

"Hang on, guys, wait up!" he calls.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Adrian leads Kat into a dark, empty classroom. The corners of the room are covered in spiderwebs, and the metal legs of the desks have decayed into rust. One table sits in the middle of the room, and Adrian and Kat make their way to opposite sides of it. Adrian pulls a small chain from the light above their heads to illuminate the room.

"How nice of you to lead me _here_ to take my soul," Kat peers around the room in disgust.

"The university hasn't funded many of the Dark Zone's operations in a while," Adrian responds. "Patrick told me that. They say they already have too much on their hands to upgrade these run-down classrooms."

"Riiight," Kat answers.

Adrian pulls a deck box out of his jacket. "Let's just get this over with."

"The sooner, the better," Kat says.

"I couldn't agree more."

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they both yell.

"Amon's Follower, Barmaid Grace!" Adrian yells.

"Gifted Bear!"

Adrian draws a card. "I ride: Amon's Follower, Hell's Deal, pulling Barmaid Grace behind the vanguard. I pass my turn."

Kat draws. "Ride: Honorary Assistant, Mikesaburo. Gifted Bear forerunners behind my vanguard as well. Mikesaburo attacks, boosted for 12000."

"No guard."

"Drive check," Kat flips the top card of her deck. "Critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage check," Adrian moves the top card of his deck to damage. "No trigger, and a draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard and draw."

"I pass."

"Draw." Adrian places a card from his hand over his vanguard. "I ride: Amon's Follower, Hell's Nail. I call another Hell's Nail to my left; and Amon's Follower, Hell's Draw to my right. Hell's Draw's skill: I soulcharge two."

Kat nods intuitively.

"With Barmaid Grace's skill, I counterblast one and rest her to soulcharge two more. Then I give Hell's Draw the continuous skill of plus 1000 for every card in soul until end of turn. My left Hell's Nail attacks your vanguard. With her skill, I counterblast one and soulcharge three."

"You're building a soul awfully fast," Kat looks at Adrian's soul, which already contains eight cards. "I'll guard Hell's Nail with a 5000 shield."

"My vanguard attacks for 9000."

"No guard."

"Drive check: no trigger."

"Damage check: no trigger."  
"Hell's Draw attacks your vanguard for 17000."

Kat mumbles to herself. "That would require 15000 shield to guard. Even though I can, it's not worth discarding two cards this early." She eyes her damage, only at one. "Eh, I need the damage anyway."

"No guard," she says aloud, taking her damage. "No trigger."

"I pass."

"Stand and draw. I ride: Binoculus Tiger. I call a Castanet Donkey, followed by a Coiling Duckbill behind Castanet. I target Castanet Donkey, then call Mikeasuro to my other front rearguard, targeting Castanet Donkey again."

"Castanet Donkey?" Adrian eyes her field. "That's a draw trigger!"

"I see you're aware. I rest Gifted Bear and reveal Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage from my hand. Then I search for Honorary Professor, Chatnoir from my deck and add it to hand. Then I'll discard that critical trigger I checked against you last turn." She discards Ruler Chameleon.

"Someone is getting a bit cocky," Adrian smirks. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I doubt you'll be able to do much against me anyway," Kat answers. "What happened? Did you throw away your Aqua Force because you were beaten by Alexandria Blake's sister?"

"I'll make you eat those words."

"Binoculus Tiger attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I give Castanet Donkey 4000 power, and Castanet Donkey will retire at the end of my turn."

"No guard."

"Drive check: heal trigger. I give all effects to Mikesaburo and heal a damage, since we're tied at two."

"Damage check: critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard, putting it at 14000."

"Mikeasburo attacks your rearguard Hell's Nail for 12000."

"Intercept!" Adrian moves Hell's Draw to his guard circle.

"You seem so angry," Kat looks at Adrian. "Why? Shouldn't the rest of us be angry at your group trying to take over the school?"

"Stop talking," Adrian says. "You're distracting me."

"I'm not responsible for your lack of focus," Kat answers. "Castanet Donkey attacks your rearguard for 15000 boosted."

Adrian groans. "I guard with 10000 shield. Stop swinging at my rearguards!"

Kat smiles. "Upon entering my end phase, I retire Castanet Donkey. I will search my deck for a grade 3, then draw a card. Also, Gifted Bear retires."

Kat searches her deck for Honorary Professor, Chatnoir and then draws a card.

"You have one counterblast," Kat eyes Adrian. "Use it wisely."

"I stand and draw," Adrian hesitates. "Ride, my new avatar: Amon's Eye, Agares! With its skill, I give itself and Hell's Nail +9000 power!"

Kat nods.

"I'll use Barmaid Grace's skill," Adrian eyes his one face up damage. "But what if…" he groans loudly.

Kat grins. "Frustrated?"

"No!" Adrian yells. "Hell's Nail attacks your vanguard! I'm using her skill!" He flips down the face up damage. "Now I have twelve cards in my soul."

"Interesting choice," Kat eyes her hand.

"So you're not going to tell me if it's right or wrong?" Adrian folds his eyebrows.

"That would take the fun out of the game," Kat answers. "The purpose is to learn from one's own mistakes, not have someone tell you with baby steps. No guard."

She flips the top card of her deck. "No trigger."

"Agares attacks your vanguard for 25000, boosted!"

"No guard."

"Twin drive: no trigger." He flips the second card. "Critical trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Two damage checks, then," Kat says. "No trigger. And… no trigger."

"I pass."

"Good," Kat answers as she stands and draws. "Then I'll ride my avatar: Honorary Professor, Chatnoir! I discard a second Chatnoir to stride: Omniscience Dragon, Cath Palug! You may be winning by one damage, but I intend to change that now."

"Is that so?" Adrian asks.

"I call: Crayon Tiger to my empty front row rearguard circle. Then, I slide back my Mikesaburo to call Treatise Panther in front of it. Cath Palug attacks your vanguard for 26000!"

"I…" Adrian hesitates. "Perfect guard! Amon's Follower, Vlad Specula!"

"Triple drive… critical trigger! I give all effects to Treatise Panther. Second check: heal trigger. I give all effects to Treatise Panther again and heal a damage. Third check…" she reveals Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage. "No trigger."

"Stop hitting heals!" Adrian yells.

"Treatise Panther attacks your vanguard. With Cath Palug's skill, I'll counterblast one and give it an additional 4000, putting it up to 23000 unboosted with an extra critical. Then I use Treatise Panther's skill to give Crayon Tiger 4000 power."

Adrian drops the critical trigger and moves Hell's Nail to guard circle. "Guard and intercept."

"Crayon Tiger attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I stand Treatise Panther. Cath Palug will give Crayon Tiger an additional 4000 power, making his attack 24000."

"Ugh… I can't guard it." Adrian takes his fourth damage. "No trigger."

"Treatise Panther attacks once more. I use Cath Palug's skill one more time on Treatise Panther, and boost. This time it'll attack for 38000, two critical!"

Adrian rolls his eyes. "No guard. Damage check… no trigger. Second… heal trigger!"

"You miracle healed?" Kat looks over at Adrian's heal trigger. "I can't believe it."

"I knew it," Adrian smiles slyly. "You can't beat me now that I'm a part of the dark side." He heals a damage before placing the heal trigger in his damage zone.

"My end phase," Kat picks up Crayon Tiger and Treatise Panther. "These two will both retire, and I'll draw four cards."

"Four?" Adrian asks.

Kat nods as she draws her cards. "I now have nine cards in hand to your two, and three damage to your five. I'll pass."

"Stand and draw," Adrian draws. "With Agares' skill, I choose to give Barmaid Grace 12000 power. Then, I stride: Amon's Red Eye, Forneus! Agares' skill soulcharges twelve."

"Twenty-four cards in soul?" Kat asks.

Adrian nods. "I call: Amon's Follower, Hell's Deal. With her skill, I soulcharge two cards."

"Twenty-six," Kat says. "You know you can stop anytime."

"I must collect as much soul as possible for the boss," Adrian answers, his voice grunting. "This is what he wants."

"He wants souls of students, not cards," Kat answers. "How do you intend on stealing my soul if you deck yourself out first?"

"So you know," Adrian's eyebrow lowers. "You _were_ spying."

Kat smirks.

"I use Agares' skill," Adrian says. "By counterblasting one and moving Hell's Deal to the soul, you choose a rearguard and retire it."

Kat picks up Honorary Assistant, Mikesaburo and moves it to her drop zone.

"Forneus gains 25000 power! And a critical! Also, I'll retire your other rearguard!"

Kat looks down at her field, now empty of all rearguards.

"Well, I have to keep to my motto," Adrian looks down at the only card in his hand. "Play every turn as if it's my last." He smirks as he sets Demon World Marquis, Amon on his front right hand rearguard circle.

"Forneus attacks with a boost! 68000 with an extra critical!" Adrian yells. "It's time to end this!"

"No guard."

"Triple drive check: no trigger. Critical trigger! I give all it to my vanguard! Power to Amon!" Adrian grins as he flips the last card in his check. "It's… not a trigger."

"Maybe you should pay more attention to your soul next time," Kat grins. "You've soulcharged quite a lot of triggers."

She reaches for the top card of her deck and begins to take her damage. "No trigger. Draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard and draw a card. Third check: no trigger."

"Amon attacks your rearguard for 15000."

"Generation guard," Kat answers. "Sheltered Heiress, Spangled. I counterblast one and choose to target zero guardians."

"Wait… that's a flipping G-guard…"

Kat nods.

"But you're only using it to flip a guardian?"

Kat remains silent.

"I pass." Adrian stares at Kat in confusion.

Kat stands and draws. "You know," she says. "I was really hoping to stride my ace stride against you, but you wouldn't be able to even survive the turn."

"Oh? Is that what you think?"

"No," she answers. "I know. I ride: Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage!"

"But Chatnoir is a…"

"With Chatsauvage's skill, I discard a grade 3 from my hand, and stride!" Kat yells. She picks up Immortality Professor, Brahmananda from her G Zone and places it on her vanguard circle.

Then, Kat looks at Adrian and yells, "Break… Stride!"

 **A few floors below. Dark Zone Administration Lobby.**

Orlando, Lux, Penelope, and Isaac rush into the lobby doors to find the secretary leaning down, pulling some papers from her desk.

"She's upstairs," Lux whispers to Orlando. "I can sense it."

"How do we get past _her_?" Orlando whispers.

"Maybe we can find an excuse?" Lux answers. He pulls the sunglasses from his bookbag and puts them on.

"What are those for?" Isaac asks.

"They look more official," Lux answers. "I have an idea."

Orlando pulls a pair of sunglasses from his jacket pocket.

"I'm in," he says.

Penelope shakes her head.

"Isaac and I will stay outside," Penelope turns around. "That way we can look for anything suspicious."

"I really don't want to be a part of this," Isaac sighs. "But I guess I go where you go."

Penelope and Isaac walk back out of the doorway.

"Well," Lux nudges Orlando. "Here goes nothing."

The two walk up to the secretary, and Orlando knocks on the desk. The secretary jumps, bumping her head before raising up to spot the two.

"Hello," she looks at the two suspiciously. "What are you two doing here?"

"I'm here to speak with Adrian," Lux answers. "I heard he might be here."  
"Well, of course he's here," the secretary stares. "Might there be a reason for why you need to speak with him?" She looks over at Orlando cautiously.

"It's important. Family issues," Lux replies.

"Family…" the secretary nods suspiciously. She looks back at Lux for a minute without speaking, then she leans in closely. "Is everything okay?"

"I can assure you everything will be fine. I just need to speak with him."

"Of course," she shakes her head and presses a button. The elevator door begins to open. "They'll be on the top floor of the building. Let me know if there's anything else you need."

Lux and Orlando walk toward the elevator and board before the door closes back.

"That went better than expected," Lux whispers. Orlando gives a sincere nod as the elevator begins to lift the two upstairs.

 **Top floor. Kat and Adrian's game.**

Adrian looks down at Kat's field, with a Treatis Panther on each front row rearguard circle and a Reader Pig behind each of them.

"Reader Pig's skill allows it to attack from the back row on the turn it is placed," Kat looks up and smiles. "My left hand Reader Pig attacks your vanguard for 11000, thanks to Chatnoir's break ride skill."

"Guard." Adrian places a 5000 shield onto the guardian circle.

"My right hand Reader Pig does the same."

"Guard."

"You kept your critical trigger in your hand," Kat looks at Adrian.

Adrian looks down at the last card in his hand and scoffs.

"Treatis Panther attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I give the other Treatis Panther 4000 power. The attacking rearguard attacks for 13000."

"You're not going to attack me with your vanguard?" Adrian asks.

"I would," Kat answers. "But I want to see if you're even worth making it that far."

"Fine," Adrian answers. "I'll guard with the trigger." He places the critical trigger into guardian circle.

"The other Treatis Panther attacks your vanguard for 17000."

"You're still not going to attack me with your vanguard?" Adrian raises his voice. "You know I have no cards in hand."

"You heard me."

"Fine, I guess I'm forced to take the attack." Adrian flips the top card of his deck to reveal his heal trigger. "Ha! I hit a heal! And now if I heal during your vanguard attack, you'll be finished, right?"

"I thought you knew me," Kat replies. "You said you paid attention to my team, right?"

 **Hallway just outside.**

"I can hear her," Lux whispers. "She's in here."

Lux nudges the door open just enough for he and Orlando to peek in. They watch as Kat continues with her turn.

 **Back to the game.**

Kat rests her vanguard. "Brahmananda attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I call three rearguards to the field from hand! I call: Binoculus Tiger and Coiling Duckbill to the front, and finally a Reader Pig behind the vanguard! With Coiling Duckbill's skill, I target my stood Reader Pig!"

"You called three more attackers?" Adrian's eyes widen.

"Triple drive, since you can't guard," Kat finishes. "First check: Critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to Binoculus Tiger. Second check: no trigger… third check: critical trigger! I give the power to Coiling Duckbill and the critical to the vanguard again!"

A small breeze blows in the room, and Adrian, still in shock, watches as the top card of his deck flips over and lands just above his deck. He stares at Amon's Eye, Agares as it stares back at him.

Kat picks up her deck and punches the table to get Adrian's attention.

"You think you need more souls?" Her stare pierces through Adrian. "Maybe you should get on our level before you ever challenge someone from Team Undisputed ever again!" She looks over at Orlando and Lux staring through the doorway in shock, then steps back quickly.

"I'm leaving now," she bumps Adrian as she walks toward the doorway. He continues to stand in shock for a few seconds before following her out.

"Wait!" Adrian yells. "I'm not finished with you yet!"

"I'm finished with you!" Kat yells back. She meets up with Lux and Orlando just outsdie in the hallway and whispers. "We need to get out of here."

Orlando and Kat grab Lux by the arms and the three begin to run down the hallway toward the elevator when Adrian chases them and yells, "Someone catch them!"

They scurry to the elevator and hit the button on the inside and the door shuts just before Adrian can reach them.

Upon reaching the bottom floor, they rush out of the elevator and through the lobby. They hear the secretary call, "Is there a problem?" but don't stop to answer.

As they make it outside, they get Penelope and Isaac's attention.

"Run," Kat says and the five run back toward the Platinum Club building together.

 **Platinum Club Classroom. Several minutes later.**

"So, they're after souls…" Penelope nods.

Kat nods.

"They need to use the souls of strong cardfighters to fuel their spell over the university," Kat answers. "They captured faculty but they need students to get to the younger people on campus."

"They're going to come after you again, Kat," Lux says. "You've proven yourself even more by defeating Adrian."

"I know, but I had to do something. He cornered me," she answers.

"It looks like we're going to have to stick together," Orlando paces the room. "All five of us. We can keep an eye on each other for suspicious activity, such as falling under a spell, and we can help protect each other, should someone get challenged again."

The other four nod.  
"I hate the idea of having to spend time with _you_ ," Penelope says to Orlando. "But I guess I don't have a choice."

"I go where you go," Isaac points to Penelope.

Lux stands up. "Also, this way I can tell you guys if I have any more of those strange…"

"Revelations…" Isaac finishes his sentence. "Get it? Because he plays…"

"We get it!" the other four yell.

 _Author's Note:_

Hey everybody! Thank you so much for your patience! I know this chapter was posted later than I usually tend to upload, but I've been working on finals for school :/ anyway, you know the drill. Leave reviews or PM if you like, but most of all, thank you so much for reading my work!

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	5. Stronger Fighters

**Chapter 5: Stronger Fighters**

Orlando leads Kat, Penelope, Isaac, and Lux into a large, cold room in the bottom floor of the old Blaster Blade Residence Hall. The room is dark, and there are random old cards scattered across the tile floor.

"I really wish we didn't have to leave our old room," Kat looks around and kicks a small rod on the ground.

"We don't have much choice," Orlando replies. "If they're after strong fighters, it wouldn't have taken long before they come after our club." He eyes Penelope and Isaac. "And _them_."

"Wow… so nice to feel included," Penelope scoffs. "I don't want to be here any more than you do."

"Let's not get sidetracked," Lux feels along the wall and finds a chair to sit in. "With campus still on lockdown, it's only a matter of time before we're found out."

"He's right," Orlando raises his finger. "We've got a lot of practicing to do. Our strength may be what they're after, but it's also the only thing we have to stop them."

Penelope steps toward Orlando.

"Then let's take 'em," she says. "What are we hiding for? You just said we're strong. Why don't we pull what Kat did and just beat them on their own turf?"

"Kat didn't mean to cause a scene," Orlando gestures to Kat, who shakes her head in agreement. "Besides, her beating Adrian didn't exactly do anything. We have to figure out where this Patrick guy is, and I have a strong feeling he's a stronger fighter than Adrian."

"As do I," Lux answers. "I, for one, could use some more practice. Kat, would you lead me to a table?"

Kat walks over to Lux and takes his hand. The two walk over to one of three tables on the other side of the room and pull out their decks.

Penelope grumbles and looks at Orlando.

"Don't even think about it," she says.

"And why not?" Orlando crosses his arms. "If you're going to help us with this cause, you're going to have to at least act like you like us. Now, come on. Let's practice."

"I'm not doing anything you tell me to do," Penelope steps even closer to Orlando. "You may think you know me, but you don't, and I'm strong enough to beat you already, so I think I can handle myself."

"Prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Orlando pulls his deck out of his bookbag. "Let's see you beat me."

"Oh!" Isaac yells. "Penelope, you have to play against him! It's Orlando Wyatt, for crying out loud!"

"I know who he is." Penelope maintains eye contact with Orlando.

"Come on!" Isaac continues. "Please, do this! I want to face him next!"

"You heard him," Orlando mumbles. "Are you going to chicken out or not?"

Penelope groans and pulls out her deck.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she mutters.

 **Platinum Club Classroom.**

A young male stumbles into the room, bearing the name tag: "Tristan Akin" with the words "Parkour Club President" on it below.

"Orlando Wyatt!" he yells as he runs in. "I challenge…" He looks around to find on one in the room. He steps in and walks toward the opposite wall at Alexandria Blake's world champion trophy.

"Where would he be?" Tristan mumbles. "I wanted to prove I was strong enough to join the cause…"

"A brave man, you are," he hears a voice behind him as the door to the room closes. He turns to see a young man dressed in black, twirling a card amongst the fingers of his left hand.

"The name's Patrick," the man smiles as he walks toward Tristan.

"Patrick… you're the guy who's taking over the university…" Tristan steps back.

"That's just what everyone says," Patrick continues toward Tristan. "The truth is… I'm just the devil's right hand man."

"Well, I'm…"

"I know who you are," Patrick answers. "Your name is Tristan Akin. You came here to be with the stronger fighters because you think you have what it takes to be in the Platinum Club on campus."

Tristan plants his feet on the ground.

"I _know_ I do," he answers.

"Maybe," Patrick laughs. "You seem to exert confidence. I like it. You're in age group Grade 3 in a tournament structure, meaning you fall between the ages of 18 and 21."

"I'm nineteen."

"So I'm right again," Patrick smiles. "Alexandria Blake was a Grade 4, as is Orlando Wyatt as of just a few months ago."

"That doesn't mean I can't stand up to him," Tristan looks over at a poster of Orlando.

"I never said you couldn't," Patrick answers. "Although, I do doubt you a smidge. You see, we in the Dark Zone classify cardfighters by their strengths, not their age. We care to see which strong fighters we can use to strengthen our hold on the university."

Tristan nods.

"Alexandria Blake was the world champion, so she would be classified as an Alpha. Very few ever reach this status. Orlando Wyatt also just barely falls into this category, while you…"

"I can beat Orlando Wyatt."

"Well, I suppose," Patrick looks away. "But I mean, anybody can beat anybody, if they get lucky."

"So, what do you classify me as, Mister Know-it-all?" Tristan steps forward toward Patrick.

"On the scale from Alpha to Epsilon, you're ranked a Gamma."

"Gamma?" Tristan steps forward. "I'll show you a Gamma."

"You could probably upgrade to a Beta if you switched clans," Patrick continues. "Preferably something in the Dark Zone."

"I think I'll pass on that," Tristan answers. "I don't intend on joining your _cause_."

"Unfortunately for you," Patrick snaps the fingers on his right hand. "I didn't ask what your intentions were."

Adrian steps through the doorway and walks over to stand beside Patrick.

"You may be a Gamma, but we need all the souls we can get," Patrick shakes his head. He turns his back to Tristan and whispers in Adrian's ear.

"Mess this one up, and the boss will have me burn your _second_ avatar."

Adrian nods, and steps forward toward Tristan.

"Well, are you going to fight me, or are we just going to move straight to the part where we steal your soul?" Adrian asks. He pulls out his deck box.

Tristan hesitates, then pulls out his own.

"I have no other choice," Tristan answers. "I will fight you. But I'll make sure I win, to show you, and Orlando Wyatt. I _deserve_ to be in the Platinum Club."

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they yell.

"Amon's Follower, Barmaid Grace!"

"Knight of Discipline, Alectos!"

 **Back in the hidden classroom.**

"Ride, my avatar!" Penelope yells. "Blue Wave Dragon, Anger-boil Dragon!"

Penelope looks at her own damage, then at Orlando's. She is winning, 3-2.

"Anger-boil attacks your vanguard for 16000."

Orlando looks down at his hand.

"16000 at my 9000, huh?" he asks. "No guard."

"Drive check!" Penelope exclaims. "First check: no trigger. Second check: no trigger."

"One damage," Orlando answers. "Heal trigger: I give all effects to my vanguard and stay at three damage."

"Tidal Assault attacks your vanguard," Penelope reaches for Tidal Assault. Realizing Orlando's vanguard is at 14000 power, she rests Dagger Master Dracokid with Tidal Assault. "14000 exactly."

"Guard."

Penelope reaches for Foivos, then pulls her hand back.

"I pass. Foivos can't hit."

"Stand and draw," Orlando smiles. "I ride: Alter Ego Messiah. Stride: Genesis Dragon, Flageolet Messiah! With Alter Ego's skill, I lock the Neon Messiah behind my vanguard and your Blue Wave Marine General, Foivos."

Penelope mumbles under her breath as she flips Foivos face down.

"I call: Arrester Messiah. Then I call Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf to the other front rearguard circle and a Sacrifice Messiah behind it. Lady Battler attacks your vanguard boosted for 16000."

"No guard," Penelope answers. She reaches for the top card of her deck and flips it. "Ugh… no trigger."

"You don't seem to be having luck with your triggers today," Orlando smiles. "Lady Battler's skill: I lock it to give 5000 power to Arrester Messiah. Then I use Sacrifice Messiah's skill to give it another 3000."

"Arrester attacks your vanguard for 19000."

"Guard," Penelope drops a critical trigger from her hand.

"Arrester's skill. Lock itself to lock Dagger Master Dracokid."

Penelope grits again, flipping Dagger Master face down.

"Flageolet Messiah attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I unlock Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf and Arrester Messiah. Since one or more cards were unlocked, I choose to omega lock each of your locked cards."

"No guard."

"Triple drive: critical trigger. I give the power to Lady Battler and the critical to Flageolet Messiah. Second check: critical trigger. Critical to Flageolet again, and this time the power will go to Arrester Messiah. Third: no trigger."

Penelope looks down at her two damage. "Damage check: no trigger… no trigger, ha! Draw trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard and draw!"

"Lady Battler attacks your vanguard for 14000."

"It won't hit," Penelope answers.

"The purpose isn't for it to hit," Orlando looks up at Penelope. "I lock Lady Battler to give Arrester 5000 power. Arrester attacks your vanguard for 19000."

Penelope looks down at her hand. "Intercept with Tidal Assault."

"At the end of my turn," Orlando replies. "I place Flageolet face up in my G-Zone, then I unlock Lady Battler, Sacrifice, and Neon Messiah. With Neon Messiah's skill, I search my deck for Alter Ego Messiah and add it to my hand."

He shuffles his deck, then Penelope cuts it.

"Then I draw three cards with Alter Ego's skill. Now I pass."

"Stand and draw," Penelope stands her units. "I stride… Blue Wave Brave General, Artiom. I call Foivos to my open front row circle, and Blue Wave Dragon, Submerge Dragon behind my vanguard. I call Battle Siren, Mallika and use its skill to give Submerge Dragon 3000 power. Artiom attacks your vanguard."

"No guard."

"Drive check: no trigger… no trigger…" Penelope closes her eyes in distress, then flips the third card. "Critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to Foivos!"

"Damage check… no trigger. Critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

Penelope reaches for Submerge Dragon.

"With Submerge Dragon's skill… I can attack from the back row…" Penelope rests Submerge Dragon. "Then, with Artiom's skill, it gains 3000 power. 13000 at Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf."

"That's better," Orlando moves Arrester Messiah to the guardian circle. "Intercept."

"Foivos attacks your vanguard for 19000, wave three."

"Guard."

"With Foivos's skill, I attack your vanguard again for 19000."

"Guard."

Penelope moves her stride to the G-Zone. "I pass."

"That was smart," Orlando nods. "Attacking from the back row in order to keep your waves up. That sounds like a good Aqua Force play… maybe one day you'll be just like-"

Penelope pounds her fist onto the table.

"Don't. You. Dare."

"I'm sorry, Penelope. I only wanted to compliment you…"

"Since when do _you_ care about what I think?"

 **Platinum Club classroom. Tristan is in the lead at the end of his first stride turn, 5-4.**

"You pushed me to five," Adrian grunts as he stares at his damage. "I see I'm not the only one to rush the opponent to high damage early." He looks at Tristan's field to see Counteroffensive Knight, Suleiman on the left and Knight of Encouragement, Albion on the right. In the back row sits a copy of Knight of Ambuscade, Redon behind the Albion.

"Stand and draw," Adrian draws his card. "Cards in hand?"

"Four."

Adrian thinks back to Tristan's drive check: one heal, one critical, and a grade 2.

"At the beginning of my ride phase, I choose my left hand Hell's Draw and my back right Hell's Deal to gain 10000 power! With ten cards in soul, I stride: Amon's Red Eye, Forneus! Amon's Eye, Agares triggers to soulcharge ten cards."

"Ten?" Tristan peeks over at Adrian's field.

"I use Barmaid Grace's skill," Adrian continues. "Soulcharge two, then give Hell's Deal a continuous plus 1000 for every card in soul. Now for my stride's skill: I counterblast one and shove Barmaid Grace into my soul to retire all three of your rearguards, since I have twenty-one cards in soul, then give Forneus 20000 power and an additional critical!"

Tristan squints as he places his rearguards into his drop zone.

"I'm not afraid of you," Tristan mutters.

"I slide Hell's Deal to the front row and call one more Hell's Deal behind Hell's Draw on my left. Hell's Draw attacks your vanguard for 26000 boosted."

"No guard," Tristan answers. "Damage check: critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard!"

Tristan eyes his own damage before Adrian's, seeing that they're now tied at five each.

"Forneus attacks your vanguard for 46000 with an extra critical!"

"Generation guard," Tristan answers. "Divine Knight of Heavenly Defense, Igraine! Brave: my guardian gains 5000 shield, then I soulblast one to give it an additional 10000, making our powers even. On top of that, I'll guard with a critical trigger for a two to pass."

Adrian smiles.

"Drive check: critical trigger," he smiles. "I give all effects to my vanguard. Second check: heal trigger: I give the power to my vanguard and heal a damage. Third check: no trigger. You take three damage."

Tristan flips over the top card of his deck to reveal his avatar, Knight of Heavenly Decree, Altmile. He sneers at Adrian and Patrick, who has now stepped back over to Adrian.

"You lose," Adrian laughs.

"Unfortunately," Patrick pulls the card back out of his pocket that he had been twirling before. "As the devil's right hand man, that means I get your soul."

"I refuse," Tristan rushes past the two and out of the doorway.

"Should we…?" Adrian steps forward, but Patrick puts his arm in front of him to stop him.

"Don't worry," Patrick smiles. "The darkness will find him."

Tristan runs down the hallway and finds a door labeled "Not an Exit". He swings it open and runs out to find himself on a balcony. He looks around for a minute, peering up at the upward funnel over campus before spotting a balcony on another building several feet away with a staircase.

Tristan steps back and gets a running start before hoisting himself onto the railing and leaps toward the other balcony. He begins to descend in the air, just above the second balcony railing and reaches for it, but finds himself being pulled upward.

Before having a chance to react, Tristan is sucked into the funnel, above campus, disappearing into the sky.

Patrick and Adrian step from onto the first balcony and stare at the sky.

"Now what?" Adrian asks.

"We wait for the boss's orders," Patrick turns his back and walks back into the building. "For now, we go back to the Dark Zone building before Tristan Akin tries to escape again."

 **The hidden classroom.**

Penelope looks down at her field, now with four locked cards, and only her back left rearguard circle open. She sneers at her four card hand as Orlando rests Flageolet Messiah. Neither of them have noticed Lux, Kat, and Isaac gathered around them to watch.

"Flageolet Messiah attacks your vanguard," Orlando flips one of his damage face down, then flips a Genesis Dragon, Amnesty Messiah in his G-Zone face up. "With it's skill, I unlock four cards on my field, then omega lock yours. Since I unlocked three or more cards on my side, Flageolet Messiah gains a critical."

"Ugh… perfect guard!" Penelope discards a card from her hand to leave herself with one.

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to my right hand Arrester Messiah. Second check: no trigger… third check: heal trigger. I give all effects to Arrester Messiah again." Orlando heals a damage to put himself down to four. He looks at Penelope's five before resting his front left rearguard.

"Lady Battler attacks your vanguard for 16000 boosted."

"Guard!" Penelope throws down a critical trigger.

"With Lady Battler's skill, combined with Sacrifice Messiah's I give Arrester Messiah plus 8000 power. Arrester attacks your vanguard for 34000 with a boost!"

"Generation guard!" Penelope discards the last card in her hand, a heal trigger. "Blue Storm Deterrence Dragon, Ice Barrier Dragon! Since this is the fifth attack of the turn, Ice Barrier gains 10000 shield."

"I pass."

Penelope stands her only unit: Blue Wave Dragon, Anger-boil Dragon. She reaches for the top card of her deck.

"Come on… this is why you're my avatar," Penelope mutters. "You know what to do…"

She draws the card with one eye closed before peering at it in disgust: Battle Siren, Mallika.

"A freaking draw trigger?" Penelope yells. "Of all times I need to draw a grade 3, and what do I get…?"

"To be fair, there wasn't much you would've been able to do with an omega locked field," Orlando smirks.

"I didn't ask you, Mister Know-it-all!" Penelope pounds the table. "Anger-boil attacks your vanguard for 11000!"

"Generation guard," Orlando discards the heal trigger in his hand. "No pass."

"Drive check…" Penelope reveals the top card of her deck to reveal Tidal Assault. "Second check…" Penelope flips the second card: Anger-boil Dragon.

"Ughhhh!" Penelope growls in disgust.

"I think you and your avatar need to get on the same page," Orlando grins.

Penelope sinks to the floor, tears forming in her eyes.

"I can't… I can't do this anymore," she says. "I stopped playing for a reason… I just… I can't make myself forget."

"No one said you had to forget," Kat leans next to Penelope and touches her. "Look, I know Orlando can be a bit of a jerk, but deep down he's got a soft core. He's just being hard on you to make you prove your worth to yourself. He wouldn't have even let you here if he didn't think you were talented."

"I wouldn't take it that far," Orlando shakes his head. "I mean, I did let _him_ tag along."

Orlando gestures toward Isaac, who is standing on his toes in a chair, sifting through a box of old sleeves high on the shelf. He pulls out a pack of CEO Amaterasu sleeves and holds them up to the others.

"Do you think these would look good on my deck?" Isaac asks. "That way I can trick my opponent into thinking I'm playing Amaterasu…"

"Trick who, exactly?" Kat asks.

"Orlando, to be specific," he mutters in a low tone. "I want to get an edge over him so I have a chance to win when I face him."

"I'm right here, and I can hear you," Orlando groans. "I know you play Kagero, as I've seen you play the deck already."

"No, I play Amaterasu," Isaac shakes his head, refusing to make eye contact with Orlando. He loses his balance and falls out of his chair, causing the box of sleeves to crash down onto his head and spill around him.

"See what I mean?" Orlando looks at the others.

"The point is," Kat looks back at Penelope. "We're all a team, and we're here for you, snide comments and all…" she looks up at Orlando. "Although you _could_ tone them down a bit."

"Fine, I guess you're right," Orlando rolls his eyes, then offers his hand to help Penelope up.

"Look," he continues. "I'm sorry I brought up your sister. I honestly was only trying to encourage you. I know she meant a lot to you, and she meant a lot to Kat and me, too. The compliment I gave you during our game was genuine, because I do think you're strong like her."

Penelope wipes away a tear and gives Orlando a small smile.

"Even if you do need to work things out with old Anger-boil," Orlando playfully nudges Penelope, and she punches him in the arm.

"Now who's up for another game?" Orlando asks the group.

Isaac leaps forward.

"I challenge you, Orlando Wyatt! And I won't lose because Dragon Empire never loses!" he yells.

"Would you like to fight me?" Lux asks Penelope calmly. "I've beaten everyone else in this room, and I'd love to feel the passion in your fight for myself."

"Of course," Penelope slowly picks up her cards. "But I _won't_ go easy on you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Lux smiles.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Patrick and Adrian walk into the main room on the top floor to find Markus standing in the middle, reading a letter on the boss's desk.

"Did boss leave a letter?" Patrick asks.

"Yes, sirree," Markus hands the letter to Patrick. "He said it might be a while a'fore he gets back. He wants you to take over the operation for a while on account of he's got some work to do."

"Work?" Patrick eyes the letter intently.

"You know the boss," Markus points at the letter. "Always up to his games. He says he's ready to start the next part of the operation."

"He's leaving me in charge of the prisoners, and their souls," Patrick continues to read. "While he begins to work on… our targets."

Markus squints.

"Who are they?" he asks.

"All in due time," Patrick smiles.

He walks over to a doorway on the other side of the room and peeps in. Inside the room lie the unconscious Dean, Doctor Aldrich, Doctor Hewitt, and Tristan Akin on four separate stretchers. Connected to each of them through their heads is a machine, and a glowing orb being pulled from them into the machine. The machine then leads with a yarn of twisted wires through the ceiling.

"Is this how we're fueling the spell over campus?" Adrian asks.

"Yep," Patrick nods. "Thanks to Tristan's contribution, a few of the other students on campus are falling under the spell. Unfortunately, with him being a Gamma rank and all, it's not enough. We need more students, but since _you_ couldn't defeat an Alpha yourself, the boss is hatching a new plan to go after them _himself_."

"And that plan is?"

"Something you're not worthy to know right now," Patrick answers. "He doesn't want to take a chance on any more mistakes. You may have volunteered to join us, but students and staff under our spell did not, so they're much more susceptible to waking up from the spell, with just one wrong move."

Adrian steps away from Patrick.

"Then when will I get to know about the plan?" he asks.

"In due time," Patrick answers. "It takes a lot of effort and concentration on the boss's part. In the meantime, he's commanded us to stay here and keep watch over the prisoners. Then _he_ will lead our victims to _us_."

"This sounds spooky," Markus shivers. "I'm in!"

"You're already in," Patrick rolls his eyes.

"So all we have to do is sit here and relax?" Adrian asks.

"Precisely," Patrick nods, then proceeds to laugh his best evil laugh. The other two follow suit.

 _Author's Note:_

Hello, everyone! And once again, thank you so much for reading _Blind Revelations_! You're all a fantastic audience and I hope you all enjoy the story as it continues to progress. Please, if you will, drop a comment, a DM, a review, anything to let me hear from my audience what you love (and don't) about this story so far. I would love to hear from all of you!

P.S. Cardfight Vanguard and its products used within _Blind Revelations_ are not my property, but the property of Bushiroad. I do not claim the rights to the Bushiroad product used within my works.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	6. The Truth in Revelations

**Chapter 6: The Truth In Revelations**

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" Isaac yells.

"Neon Messiah!" Orlando yells.

"I can't believe it…" Isaac mumbles with a smile. "I finally get to face Orlando Wyatt."

Orlando draws a card.

"I ride-" Orlando starts, but he is interrupted when Lux falls into the floor across the room, holding his head in pain.

"Guys," Lux whispers. "It's happening again…"  
The four rush over and kneel next to Lux in the floor. Lux grabs Orlando's arm and squeezes.

"What is it?" Orlando asks.

"It's them…" Lux answers. "I can _sense_ them. I can feel the souls being sucked from their bodies, and used to power the spell."

"What?" Orlando repositions his legs.

"Their boss… he's on to something."

"Patrick?" Penelope asks.

"It's not Patrick," Lux replies. "Patrick is the spokesperson. They have a different boss… one dark, manipulative, and scary."

"Well, does he have a name?" Orlando asks.

"I'll bet he plays a re-stander…" Isaac says. "Everyone knows I hate those…"

"I can't tell," Lux squints. "I can't see anything else."

"You can't see anything!" Isaac exclaims.

"Come on, Lux…" Orlando groans. "We need _something_."

"Orlando, I can't just have revelations on command," Lux squints.

"Well, that _sucks_ ," Orlando answers impatiently.

Lux puts his hand to the floor and feels for his walking stick. He then stands as he picks it up and walks toward the doorway.

"I apologize for not being able to fulfill all your wishes, Orlando," Lux turns back to Orlando. "The only thing I see that you're doing for this situation is upsetting your teammates." He gestures toward Penelope.

"I apologized for that."

"You know, Orlando," Lux laughs sarcastically. "Sometimes actions speak louder than words."

Lux leaves the room.

"Hey!" Orlando calls. "Where do you think you're going? It's not safe out there!"

"I'll be fine," Lux answers. "Trust me. If there's one thing I know, they don't want the soul of some _blind_ guy. They want strong fighters, remember?"

Lux shrugs, then walks away.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

"You know," Adrian says as he and Patrick walk down the hallway. They stop in front of a vending machine and Adrian presses a button. "You show a lot of faith in our boss, considering you guys never see him."

"He stays busy," Patrick answers. "He's not one to be questioned."

Adrian picks up his candy bar from the vending machine and the two begin to walk back down the hallway.

"Is that so? For someone you make out to be so powerful, he seems awfully secretive if you ask me."

Patrick stops Adrian.

"Do you remember the day that you joined us?" he asks. "The day that you met the boss one on one?"

"I wouldn't say 'met,'" Adrian shakes his head. "All I saw were his red eyes and that he gave me a new deck to play."

"How did you feel? Be honest. What emotion did you feel in that exact moment when you saw your deck go up in flames?"

Adrian shrugs.

"Anger…" he continues thinking. "Fear… confusion. I felt like 'What the hell are you doing, Adrian?'"

"And why's that?" Patrick asks.

"I don't know. I guess I was worried that I'd gotten myself in over my head in an attempt to join the winning side."

"It would be wise then not to question the boss," Patrick nods. "Then you really _will_ know what it's like to be in a situation over your head."

The two begin walking again.

"So, what's he like?" Adrian asks. "I'm sure you've met him. What's he look like? What are some of his personality traits? Does he enjoy his tea hot or cold?"

"Your curiosity is going to be the end of you one day."

"Well, shouldn't I know what kind of person I'm working for?"

"You should use that word very lightly," Patrick pulls a Cardfight card from his shirt pocket and begins to twirl it on his left hand. " _Person_. He's more like an entity. You'll only see of him what he wants you to see. To this day, no one knows what he looks like."

"Have you ever fought him?" Adrian asks. "You know, with cards?"

Patrick shakes his head.

"He came to me in a dream," Patrick answers. "Called me to work for him. He said I had a way with my words. A cunning personality. And easy access to everything he would need to fulfill his operation."

"Which is?"

"The boss dreams of a much darker world. He finds that in order to be a stronger fighter, a person much get in touch with his or her darker side, the side that no one ever sees. He says that when a person becomes in touch with his or her inner darkness, the limit is endless as to what they can accomplish."

"And you?" Adrian asks. "Do you believe that?"

"I've never had better fate than I do with my current avatar."

"So you didn't choose the Dark Zone… the Dark Zone chose you," Adrian answers.

"I already played the deck I play now," Patrick says. "'Twas destined upon me by fate if you ask me. I've always known my avatar. The boss was very pleased to see that."

Adrian nods. He snatches the card from Patrick's hand and reveals Amon's Eye, Agares.

"Do you think my joining the Dark Zone was a good choice?" he asks as he holds up the card to Patrick. "Do you think _this_ is my true avatar?"

"I would never question the boss," Patrick answers. "If that is the avatar he has chosen for you, then I do believe that."

"You seem really loyal."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Patrick stops and opens the door to his office. "When someone so powerful has the ability to enter your mind through a dream and tell you that you are to be his right hand man, what right do you have to refuse?"

"You think he has the ability to enter my head, too?"

"Look around campus," Patrick gestures out of a window on the other side of the office. "He is already doing his work to the staff, and even the student body."

"So that's what the machinery was for, and the soul stealing…" Adrian nods. "It's to make him more powerful to enter the minds of the rest of campus."

"Well, for starters," Patrick shrugs. "The idea isn't to stop with campus. He chose campus so he would have an army of young, fresh, yet strong cardfighters. This is the most prestigious school of cardfighters in the world, you know."

"So how does he intend on getting the rest of the world?"

"He's going to need some of the strongest fighters in the world for that one. That's why he has told us to stay here. He can't afford to have us fight them yet, not until he has them on our playing field."

"And when he does?" Adrian peels open the wrapper of his candy bar and takes a bite, chewing with his mouth open.

Patrick cringes as he stares at Adrian, then finally answers after looking away harshly.

"We are to be ready. We as the Dark Zone should be prepared to face some of the strongest fighters in the world if needed, and the boss has already said that he feels like some of us have more potential than _others_ ," he eyes Adrian.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means he's disappointed in you losing your first ever game as a part of us," Patrick stands. "He expected you to attempt a bond with your avatar before trying the deck out without knowing its potential."

"Are you saying I'm not a good player?"

"I'm saying you should pay closer attention to what you're doing. That second game was a close call, as well. I don't question the boss, but I do have to wonder what he sees in you."

Adrian steps back and looks down at Patrick.

"I see I'm not appreciated around here."

Patrick shakes his head in disagreement.

"You're wrong," Patrick frowns.

"No, you're wrong."

Adrian struts out of the room and down the hallway.

Patrick sighs.

 **Outside the Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Outside the campus is empty, with just the dark funnel swirling overhead. The wind blows just hard enough to whip Lux's blond hair into his face as he continues to feel around with his walking stick. He taps Adrian's foot with his stick.

"Sorry," Lux steps past before stopping just in front of Adrian and turning back to him. "I know you."

"You do?" Adrian crosses his arms.

Lux takes a deep breath and exhales. He puts his hand to his forehead as if he's thinking.

"You're the guy that lost to Kat. You tried to steal her soul."

Adrian rolls his eyes.

"And you're one of the guys who helped her get away," Adrian answers.

Lux smiles.

"Let me guess," he replies. "Now you want to take my soul as payback?"

Adrian reaches for his deck box, but stops and shakes his head.

"You're trying to con me, aren't you?" Adrian asks. "You want me to challenge you. Why?"

"Have you ever been beaten by a blind guy?" Lux smiles.

Adrian steps back.

"No," he answers. "And I don't plan on it today. Patrick told me to lay low for now."

"Is that so?" Lux steps toward Adrian. "Do you always listen to Patrick?"

"He says it's best that I don't question the boss."

"I'd _love_ to question your boss," Lux says. "I'd ask him where he is going, what his big plan is, why does he choose a place such as Cardfight University…"

"You mean Dark Zone University," Adrian puts his finger up.

"I know what I said."

"I'm not allowed to tell you information like that," Adrian answers.

"You don't have to," Lux smiles again. He reaches out and puts a hand to Adrian's forehead. "Your boss has red eyes. When you met him you felt fear, confusion… I even sense a bit of anger…"

"What are you doing?" Adrian slaps Lux's hand away.

"I don't have to be touching you," Lux says. "That was just for dramatic effect." He laughs for a second before continuing.

"You're afraid of him," Lux continues. "You don't know much about your boss and that makes you afraid… wait…" he pauses. "I'm getting more. He plans to challenge the strongest players for their souls so he can take over the world… because he wants everyone to be in touch with their dark side."

"What the-?" Adrian stumbles backward, catching his breath. "What are you? Some kind of psychic?"

"Something like that."

"I'm getting out of here…" Adrian spins around quickly and runs back toward the building.

"And that's how you scare away one of the goons," Lux smiles. "Isn't that right, Penelope?"

Penelope steps out from a nearby bush and approaches Lux.

"How did you know-"

"I sense the presence of those around me," Lux interrupts her. "How else would I know who that was?"

"Touché."

"So, why'd you follow me?" Lux stares blankly ahead of himself.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," Penelope answers. "You seemed pretty upset at Orlando."  
"I'd say I never took you for the compassionate type, but I'd be lying if I did."

"Just don't tell anyone that," Penelope smirks. "I told Orlando off just before I left. They all think I came after you because I was tired of him too."

"Well, are you?"

"Just a bit. Do you honestly think he can lead us to beat out the Dark Zone?" Penelope touches Lux's arm.

"I think we don't have much choice," Lux shakes his head. "But the thing is he needs us. He may have a terrible way of showing it, but he does. He needs all the help he can get, and so do we. So we have to do our best to work together no matter what."

"Are you just saying that because he put you on his team?"

"Of course not," Lux answers. "Now, let's go back before they get worried."

 **Dark Zone Administration building Meeting Hall.**

Adrian rushes into the room where Patrick stands with his back to the head of a long table, setting up a dartboard on the wall for a group of seated Dark Zone players.

"You're late," Markus yells. He smacks the table and his lasso begins to slide off. He grabs it quickly and sets it back in front of himself.

"I just needed to go for a walk," Adrian responds.

Patrick stares at Adrian, squinting his eyebrows.

"I hope you're over your pity party," Patrick begins. "We have work to discuss. Earlier this morning, the boss called for this meeting and filled me in on his plan. I assume you all were told in your sleep to be here?"

Everyone at the table nods, including Adrian who finds a seat at the far end and takes it.

"Good," Patrick smiles.

Patrick pulls out a stack of cards and begins to shuffle them all together. He flicks one at each member of the table without looking.

Adrian catches the card flicked in his direction and looks down at it: Amon's Eye, Agares.

"Hey, you did it again, Patrick!" Markus holds up his card: Exceptional Expertise, Rising Nova. "You're so good at 'dim card tricks!"

"So I've been told," Patrick smiles.

Adrian looks over at the girl seated across from him. Her black hair spills down from her head as she seats herself confidently, staring directly at Patrick. Her sunglasses fall just enough for Adrian to see the irises of her eyes: one red, one blue. She notices Adrian and quickly pushes up her sunglasses.

"Tori," she extends her hand to Adrian. "I don't think we've met."

"I'm Adrian," he hesitates, but shakes her hand. "I play Amon's Eye, Agares."

Tori smiles and nods before pointing back to Patrick, who makes his way back to the dartboard.

"The boss has given me a list of his targets now," Patrick smiles. "We are to assist him in making sure they are caught, and their souls given to him for the good of the nation."

The others begin to murmur as Patrick pulls out a card from his pocket and walks across to the other side of the long table.

"First thing's first," Patrick smiles. "We take each other nation's student body president, one by one."

Patrick throws a card over the table and across the room at the dartboard. He then throws a dart and it pierces through the card straight onto the bullseye. The others all stare at Dragonic Overlord "The Legend" pierced onto the dartboard.

"Our first target is Drake Freeman, a Beta just slightly below Alpha status on our list. He's been a cardfighter since his childhood, and unfortunately for you guys…" he shoots Adrian a quick glance. "...may be our easiest target of the five nation presidents."

 **Hallway outside the hidden classroom.**

Penelope and Lux are walking back to the hidden classroom. Lux sweeps his stick in front of him on the floor as Penelope watches silently. She finally swallows as she breaks the ice.

"You know, that was some reading you got off that guy," Penelope speaks.

"Yeah. It comes with the gift, I guess."

"Gift?"

"These 'revelations' I keep having," Lux answers. "They're legit. I've had things like this since I was a kid."

"Hmm…" Penelope nods. "So, what did you read when you first saw me?"

Lux sighs.

"In truth," he answers. "I saw someone afraid to let go."

"Oh?"

"A person in mourning… that mourning turned bitter, and now she's afraid to let go of the past. If I may ask, what was your sister like?"

Penelope frowns.

"She was bold," she answers. "Brave. She was never afraid to do what she thought was right. She enlisted just several months ago, when she heard there was a new threat attempting to take over the world. We all thought she was so brave, shipping off across the country, and all. But then she was declared missing in action before she even made it out…" Tears begin to fill Penelope's eyes.

"Did they ever find the threat?"

Penelope shakes her head.

"They had over a hundred countries in on figuring out who it was, but it was all in vain. No one seemed to be raising a large enough military force… there was nothing out of the ordinary. I read a statement they released on it just two months ago, and Alexandria… she's been presumed..."

"I know. I heard from the others."

Penelope looks away and wipes away a tear. She looks back over at Lux to find him squinting and putting his hand to his head.

"Ugh… I need to sit down…" Lux groans.

"No, don't do this to me. I can't handle situations like this!" Penelope exclaims.

Penelope attempts to grab Lux as he collapses to the ground. She puts her hand to his forehead and pulls it back quickly.

"Lux, can you hear me?" she asks.

"I feel it!" Lux yells. "The fear… the anger… I feel such a profound mixture of emotions right now… and something else… something I can't see…"

"What is it?"

"His soul… it's dark, gloomy… void of all sense of order."

"Whose soul?"

Lux snaps back to reality and puts both hands onto his forehead and begins pressing down on it, rolling over in pain.

"It hurts!" he yells.

"Lux, whose soul were you talking about? Was it the Dark Zone's boss?"

Lux nods.

"I still don't know his name, but the very thought of him burns my eyes."

"Burns your eyes?" Penelope steps back. "That's a strange way to say things."

"Not necessarily," Lux slowly stands up. "It has always been said that the eyes are the window to the soul."

Penelope stands and brushes the wrinkles off her shirt.

"It sounds like your soul needs a rest," Penelope responds. The two begin to walk again down the hallway.

"Yours does, too."

"Mine won't be getting rest for a long time," Penelope shakes her head. "I know everyone wants me to let go, but if it wasn't for Alexandria, I wouldn't be here. She was my role model, you know?"

Lux nods.

"I, too, had an older sibling who was a fantastic role model in my life," he answers.

"You did?"

"She's doing her own thing, now, living the dream. And carrying on our family's business."

Penelope nods, then decides to change the subject.

"You know, I still don't understand you and your revelations," she says. "If you've had them since you were young, then why do they seem to surprise you so much?"

"One never truly expects the things he doesn't see coming," Lux says. "It's hard to expect the unexpected when you don't expect it."

"That was deep," Penelope nods.

"I like to think so," Lux replies. "Although the headaches are new."

Penelope stops, then puts her hand to Lux's chest to stop him.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"I don't get headaches when I have these revelations. At least, not that I can remember. They're new." His voice trails off for a minute. "Maybe it's just because they're much more intense…"

Penelope squints. "Or maybe this Dark Zone spell is messing with your head."

"I usually don't give in to mind games," Lux shakes his head. "It's hard to get inside the head of a psychic."

"That's the first time I've ever heard you refer to yourself as that."

Lux shrugs.

"It's the word other people use," he answers. "I find it a bit ignorant myself, but I guess if the shoe fits…"

The two stop just outside the door to the classroom.

"Lux," Penelope starts. "Before we go back in there, can you promise me a solid?"

"What's that?"

"Don't tell the others about what we talked about on this walk," she answers. "I don't want them to think I'm weak because I haven't gotten over my sister. I'm out to prove I can take care of myself, that I'm strong enough to handle things on my own."

"You have my word."

"Thanks," Penelope smiles. "That means a lot."

The two open the door to the classroom to be met by Kat and Isaac, waiting impatiently at the door.

"We've been worried about you two!" Kat exclaims. She puts her hand on her hip. "Don't do that again. If we had lost you…"

"I take full blame for it," Lux answers. "I even encountered a member of the Dark Zone side while I was out, and scared him away. He was just a goon, but still."

Kat nods uneasily and steps back.

"Well, I guess what's important is that you two are safe now. Lux, there's someone who wants to speak with you."

"I know."

Lux slides his stick across the floor in front of him as he walks toward the other side of the room to find Orlando seated with his head in his lap. Lux stops just a few feet in front of him.

"I'm sorry I pushed you too hard earlier," Orlando says without raising his head.

"You're forgiven."

"I'm also sorry I've been such a lousy friend," Orlando continues. "I know I'm only trying to help everyone get better, but that doesn't mean I should act like such a jerk."

"I can't easily forgive you for everyone else," Lux shakes his head. He opens his mouth, but Orlando interrupts him.

"I know," Orlando says as he raises up and stands. "Actions speak louder than words. You're right. That's why I intend to fix the problem I started, and lead us to victory against the Dark Zone the right way." He looks around uneasily at the other four. "That is, if you guys would have it."

Kat looks at Penelope, then at Lux.

"I speak for myself when I say I wouldn't have it any other way," Kat says. "Orlando, I've known you for a few years now, and I know you don't mean the harm you cause. And you are a fantastic fighter, so I think you would make for a great leader."

Penelope shrugs.

"I still think you're a bit of a prick, but it's going to take some time to smooth out our rough edges," she smiles.

Isaac rushes over to Orlando and puts his hand on Orlando's shoulder.

"You already know I'm in."

Orlando looks down at Isaac's hand on his shoulder and frowns.

"I guess I don't have a choice with you, do I?" Orlando laughs, then looks over at Kat, who is squinting at him.

"Okay, fine," Orlando rolls his eyes. He looks over at Isaac and says, "I'm delighted to have you as a part of our team to fight the Dark Zone."

"Yes!" Isaac yells as he jumps. "I knew it!"

"That makes it unanimous," Lux smiles at Orlando. "Now, let's get our leader back in shape so we can take on the Dark Zone."

"Thanks, Lux," Orlando pulls Lux in for a hug. "You've really helped me out a lot."

 _Author's Note:_

Hey, guys! I must say I have appreciated every review I've gotten so far, as I absolutely love your feedback and criticism. Please do not hesitate to leave more, as I want to make sure I keep things interesting and fun for all of you to read. I hope you're growing as attached to this story as I am!

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its products used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	7. A Dragonic Revelation

**Chapter 7: A Dragonic Revelation**

 **Hidden classroom.**

"Are you… okay?" Orlando asks as he watches Lux slump down in his chair.

Lux holds his hands to his head. He jerks forward and falls into the floor, this time flailing his legs around as his body jerks.

Kat runs over and struggles to turn Lux over onto his side.

"A little help, guys?" she asks.

The other four rush over and help Lux to his side and holds his legs to the floor. His upper body continues to squirm as he yells out in pain.

"Make it stop!" he screams.

"I wish I knew how," Kat answers.

After a few minutes, he stops flailing and passes out in the floor.  
"Lux?" Kat touches his shoulder. He doesn't respond.

"Ugh…" Orlando rolls his eyes. "Now how are we supposed to know if he had a revelation?"

"Orlando!" Kat exclaims as she glares at Orlando.

Orlando looks down at the ground.

"I apologize," he answers. "That was insensitive."

"What are we going to do?" Isaac yells in a panic. He grabs Penelope by the shoulders.

"Well, don't grab me!" Penelope yells as she slaps Isaac. "I have no clue! Ask her!" she points at Kat, who is attempting to put pressure on Lux's hand to see if he will squeeze back.  
"Isaac, could you go get me a glass of water?" Kat looks back down at Lux, lying still on the floor.

Isaac nods, then paces away.

Kat looks at Orlando, then shakes her head.

"I've never experienced anything like this before we met Lux," she looks down. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. I didn't think psychics were even…"

"It's okay," Orlando nods. "Me neither…"

They both look at Penelope, whose eyes are still staring intently at Lux's still face. She looks up at Orlando and Kat staring at her.

"He looks… dead…" Penelope bites her fingernails.

"I can assure you he's not," Kat puts her hand to Lux's neck and feels his pulse. "He's doing just fine."  
"I know," Penelope looks away.

"Penelope, are you okay?" Orlando asks.

"Not anything _you_ need to know about," Penelope answers. She stands. "I'm going to find Isaac before he gets too afraid to find his way back."

"Good idea," Orlando shoots her a thumbs-up. "The buddy system is probably the best way to do things for now."

 **Dragon Empire Administration Building.**

The atrium is filled with tables, bolted to the floor. On the walls are banners of different dragon nation boss units, while in the center, slightly raised above the others is a banner of Dragonic Overlord. Under this banner is a plague picturing the Dragon Empire Student Body President, Drake Freeman.

Drake struts down some stairs into the atrium to find students surrounding the tables, all practicing with their decks against each other.

"Ahem…" he clears his throat loudly for everyone to hush and peer across the room to him.

He points to a random player at a nearby table.

"You. What is your name again?" he asks.

"Terrell."

"Terrell, huh?" Drake smirks. "Fight me."

Terrell shakes his head, grinning from ear to ear.

"Na, man. I think I'm gonna pass on this one," he laughs.

"What do you mean, no?" Drake walks across the room and stands in Terrell's face. "I didn't ask if you wanted to."

"Sorry, bro. I'm not feeling up to facing you today."

" _Today_? What do you mean _today_? You get to play against the face of Dragonic Overlord and you're just going to say not today? This is the chance of a lifetime!" Drake yells.

"First of all, you're not Toskiki Kai. He's a character from an anime, and you look pretty real to me," Terrell laughs again. "Second, I just beat you yesterday."

"Is that so?"

"You must not remember," Terrell frowns. He pulls out his deck box. "Either that, or you're trying to con me into a rematch."

"Is it working?" Drake smiles.

"Only because I know I'll kick your butt again."

"Good."

Drake grabs a person at a nearby table by the arm and pushes them aside.

"Clear this table," Drake says. "Now. So I can beat this guy already."

The players at the table clear it as Drake and Terrell walk to opposite sides of it, shuffling their decks within their hands.

"Just can't take losing a bet, can you?" Terrell smiles.

"I didn't lose."

"You just didn't _win_."

The two shuffle and cut the other's decks as they look at their starting hands.

"Double or nothing?" Drake smiles, as he sets twenty dollars on the table.

Terrell smiles, then flashes his gold watch at Drake before setting twenty dollars of his own on the table.

"You're on."

"Good," Drake smiles. "Then let's make this more interesting. No mulligans?"

"That's fine by me."

Drake frowns at Terrell as they both lay their hands on their starters.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they yell.

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" Drake yells.

"Hardrod Dracokid!" Terrell answers.

Drake smiles as he draws his first card.

"I ride," he pulls Lizard Soldier, Conroe behind his vanguard circle. "Lizard General, Conroe."

"My turn?" Terrell reaches for the top card of his deck.

"Not yet," Drake puts his hand up. "I pass. Now it is."

Terrell rolls his eyes as he draws.

"I ride," Terrell starts. "Mighty Bolt Dragoon. Might Bolt attacks your vanguard boosted by Hardrod for 12000."

"No guard."

"Drive check: critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"A critical on the first turn?" Drake scoffs. "If I didn't cut your deck, I'd think you're a cheat."

"You think so?" Terrell adds the critical trigger he drove check to his hand. "Or are you just a sore loser?"

"I never lose."

"You did yesterday," Terrell laughs. "Not to mention you lost in the playoffs for Nationals to Orlando Wyatt, didn't you?"

"He crit-sacked me."

"Is that what they call it?"

Drake growls in anger. "Is it my turn yet?"

"Not yet," Terrell puts his hand up and smiles. "I pass. _Now_ it is."

Drake draws his card.

"I ride: Emperor Dragon Knight, Nehalem," Drake says. "Nehalem attacks boosted for 14000."

"No guard."

"Drive check: critical trigger. All effects to vanguard."

"Oh, now who's trigger sacking?" Terrell smirks as he does his damage check. "No trigger… draw trigger. I give my vanguard the power and draw."

"You just really enjoy antagonizing me, don't you?" Drake asks.

"It's just a part of the job, really," Terrell answers. "A perk, if you will."

"Is that so?"

"I like to test you people who think you're better than everyone else. I've beaten Orlando Wyatt a time or two as well," Terrell continues. "Can you say the same?"

Drake sneers.

"Of course I can," he answers. "What's your reason? Beginner's luck?"

"You could say that," Terrell answers as he stands his field and draws a card. "Or you could always say that I outplayed him, just like I outplayed _you_ yesterday."

"Uh-huh," Drake nods.

Suddenly, the outside doors swing wide open and Patrick walks in with Markus and Adrian flanking him, followed by several other Dark Zone players.

"Sorry to interrupt your little games, boys and girls, but I have some business to take care of," Patrick says as he straightens his jacket. He pulls a card out of his jacket pocket and begins to twirl it around his left hand.

Patrick begins to walk toward the middle of the room, followed by the others. He throws the card in his hand across the room, and it begins to twirl through players and around the tables. After gliding for a minute or two, it finally lands in front of Drake face down.

Drake looks down at the card and slowly picks it up, as Patrick saunters over and watches over his shoulder as he flips it face up in his own hand to reveal Dragonic Overlord "The Legend".

"Is this your avatar?" Patrick asks.

"What do you want?" Drake peers over his shoulder at Patrick.

Patrick smiles and whispers, "Your _soul…_ "

"Wait," Terrell walks over. "You guys can't be serious about this whole stealing people's souls thing, right?"

Patrick smiles.

"How can you even do that?" Terrell asks.

"You're about to find out," Patrick answers. He pulls out a deck box from the inside of his jacket and pulls out a stack of cards and fans them out. "Pick a card."

"I'd rather not," Terrell answers as he turns to Drake. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm backing you up on this one."

"Have it your way, then," Patrick laughs as he throws them onto the table. A single card shoots out from the middle and flips as air begins to catch under it, revealing Dragonic Vanquisher.

Patrick extends his hand to Terrell.

"Patrick King, pleasure to meet you."

Terrell refuses the handshake.

"Not very friendly around here, are we?" Patrick pulls his hand back. "Then, please, would you step aside so I can face your friend here?"

"I don't think so."

"Suit yourself," Patrick shrugs. "The more souls, the better. Markus, come take this one."

"You got it, Patrick!" Markus gallops over toward Terrell. "This is gonna be fun, partner!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Terrell sneers at Markus. He turns back to Drake. "We'll finish our bet after we take these guys out."

"Glad to see we're on the same page for once," Drake nods.

Terrell and Markus set up on opposite sides of a table nearby and begin shuffling their decks.

"You've got a nice friend there," Patrick smiles as he eyes Terrell. He turns to Drake. "Too bad he's about to lose his soul, too."

"Is that so?" Drake asks. "What makes you so sure?"

"It's the rule of the dark spell," Patrick laughs. "You lose to one of us, you lose your soul. And you're next."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Drake and Patrick walk over to opposite ends of the next table and begin to shuffle their own decks.

"So, what is it that you play?" Drake asks.

"Wouldn't you like to know beforehand?" Patrick answers. "You'll see in due time, but not a moment too soon."

 **The hidden classroom.**

Isaac and Penelope rush into the room and Isaac runs to hand Kat the glass of water, spilling half of it on his way over. Kat takes the glass from Isaac's hand to find it only halfway filled.

"When I asked for a glass of water, I was hoping the water would still be in the cup," Kat rolls her eyes. "It's no matter now. Help me sit Lux up. I need him to come to his senses."

Orlando and Isaac get on each side of Lux and pick him up by his shoulders until his unconscious body is sitting upright.

"Come on, Lux, please come back…" Kat mumbles.

Lux's eyes crack open for a second, then he mumbles two words.

"Overlord… help…"

"Overlord?" Orlando looks over at the others. "As in, 'Dragonic Overlord'?"

Lux begins to balance himself as he reaches out toward Kat.

"Is… everyone… okay?" he asks.

"We should be the ones asking you that," Kat answers. She holds the glass of water in front of Lux and picks up his hand and places it on the glass. His fingers wrap around the sides of it and he takes it front of her, immediately taking a sip.

"This water…" Lux starts. "It's… wet."

"Um… that's a nice observation," Kat looks at the others for help.

"You said something about Overlord," Orlando comes closer to Lux. "I don't mean to pry, but do you remember that?"

"I do, actually," Lux puts his hand to his head as if his memory has been jarred. "I had a strange revelation, but I think the Dark Zone is going after someone who plays Dragonic Overlord. Anyone important?"

"Important?" Orlando looks at the ceiling. "Nope. I can't think of anyone."

"Orlando," Kat rolls her eyes. "You know who he's talking about."

"He said important," Orlando laughs. "Oh, you were serious. Okay, fine. I'll tell."

"No," Isaac steps forward, then looks at the ground. "I'll tell him."

"Okay…?" Orlando steps back.

"His name is Drake Freeman," Isaac says to Lux.

"Are you okay?" Lux puts his hand out to Isaac. "I'm sensing some..."

"I'm fine."

"Okay," Lux nods slowly, then gestures toward Orlando. "Would you know where he is?"

"He's the Dragon Empire Student Body President," Orlando answers. "Here at this school, each nation has its own student body president. He's theirs."

"Don't remind me," Isaac blurts. The rest of the group looks over at Isaac.

"I need to get some more water," Isaac walks away. "For me this time…"

"Isaac," Orlando calls. "We don't really have much time for that."

Penelope jumps and runs after Isaac. She stops him just in the doorway.

"He's right, kid," Penelope touches Isaac's arm. "We have business to take care of, and you're obligated to go with us."  
"Do I have to?"

"Would you rather stay here alone?"

"You make a good point," Isaac looks at the others. "Fine. I'll go."

"To the Dragon Empire building?" Lux asks.

"That sounds like the most plausible place to find him," Kat answers.

"Then it sounds like we'd better pack up and hurry out," Orlando says. "We don't want to show up too late. The last thing we want is for the Dark Zone to get even more souls."

"So it's time?" Kat asks.

"We don't have a choice," Orlando answers. "It has to be."

 **Dragon Empire Administration Building. Markus and Terrell are tied, with 3 damage each.**

"I ride, my avatar!" Markus yells. "Exceptional Expertise, Rising Nova! Then, I stride Great Hero, Rising Supernova!"

"I probably shouldn't have given you the first stride, huh?" Terrell eyes his hand.

"I guess not," Markus smiles. "Don't worry, though. Patrick's been helping me kill ya' faster."

"That doesn't make things any better for me," Terrell mumbles.

"I call Axe Diver with an Airforce Eliza behind it in the left column," Markus smiles. "Then I call Devil Watch to the back right circle."

"There's nothing in front of it," Terrell says.

"I know," Markus says. "That's the magic of it. Or at least that's what I like to say."

Terrell looks over at his G-Zone, completely face down.

"You just wait until my turn," he says.

"Uh-huh," Markus stares down at his hand of only two cards.

"Axe Diver attacks your vanguard, boosted by Air Force, Eliza for 16000."

"Guard," Terrell lays a critical trigger onto the guard circle, then looks down at the six cards left in your hand.

"Rising Supernova attacks your vanguard!" Markus yells. "With Rising Nova's skill, I counterblast one and put a card from hand into soul to call an Axe Diver charging from deck in front of my Devil Watch. Then, I'll use Axe Diver's skill to bind my rested Axe Diver and call it back to the field as stand and charging! Then both of my Axe Divers gain 5000 power… then I'll use the freshly called Axe Diver to bind Airforce Eliza and call her back charging as well! Now both units in my left hand column gain another 5000 each."

"Dear God…" Terrell mumbles.

"Finally, I use Supernova's skill… by flipping itself I get to choose one unit and charge it. For this skill, I choose to charge Devil Watch. Then, since I have four charging rearguards, all of my units gain 10000 power!"

"All of this on your first stride?"

"Yep!" Markus exclaims. "I always think the best way to play is wide open! Supernova swings 36000 at your vanguard!"

"No guard…" Terrell looks down at his hand disapprovingly.

"Triple drive… no trigger. Heal trigger! I give 5000 power to my right hand Axe Diver and heal a damage. Third check… Critical trigger! I give the critical to Supernova and the power to my right hand Axe Diver again."

"Damage check… no trigger," Terrell looks down at his damage. "Second check: critical trigger. I give 5000 to my vanguard."

"My right hand Axe Diver attacks your vanguard, boosted by Devil Watch for 51000! Devil Watch soulcharges one and countercharges one since it is charging."

"I guard…" Terrell drops four cards from his hand to guard circle.

"Phew! That's a lot of cards!" Markus smiles.

"Tell me about it."

"Charge will send both Devil Watch and Axe Diver to the bottom of my deck."

Markus picks up the two cards and puts them onto the bottom of his deck, then he smiles brightly as he reaches for his left hand column.

"My left hand Axe Diver attacks your vanguard boosted by Airforce Eliza for 51000 as well!"

"There's no way I can guard that…"

Terrell flips over the top card of his deck and sighs.

"I lost…"

"Something tells me you're not used to losing, lil fella," Markus grins and walks around the table to Terrell. He pats Terrell on the back and looks away.

"I'm not."

"So, why ain't your name the one on the banner instead?" Markus asks.

"It's a long story."

"Does it have something to do with that money you have sitting on that table?" Markus points over to the empty table with twenty dollars sitting at each end.

Terrell nods.

Markus shrugs.

"I guess I know what you mean. This whole betting your soul thing can be just as serious," he says.

Terrell turns to Markus. "You guys can't be serious about taking someone's soul. This was a joke, right?"

"Sorry," Markus shakes his head. "We had to get this storm over campus somehow. Patrick does all the work. I just watch him work his magic."

"So what about me? Did I just lose my soul?"

Markus nods.

"You lost to one of the Dark Zone players. Boss's rules."

"And if I decide not to come with you?"

"You don't have to. You'll still lose your soul. Ask that there Tristan kid that played Altmile."

"What happened to him?"

"Same thing that's about to happen to you, I reckon."

Terrell shakes his head, then walks over to Drake and Patrick's game to find Patrick scooping up his cards secretively with a smile on his face. He peers over, but never has a chance to see Patrick's cards.

"You okay?" Terrell turns to Drake. "I mean, you _won_ , right?"

Drake shakes his head, still in shock. His field is still in the same position as before he took his sixth damage.

"We want a rematch!" Terrell yells at Patrick.

"I'm sorry," Patrick slides his deck into his deck box. "You can't bet something you don't have, and you have nothing more that we want."

Terrell groans. He grabs Drake by the arm to jolt him out of his shock.

"Come on, Drake. Let's get out of here."

Drake scoops up his cards and quickly shoves them into his box and the two run toward the door. Markus jumps to run after them, but Patrick stops him and allows Drake and Terrell to run out the door.

"Wait for it," Patrick leads Markus to a nearby window and the two look out of it to see Drake and Terrell get sucked upward into the funnel above.

"I love watching that," Patrick laughs. "It never gets old."

"That looked fun!" Markus pulls out his deck box. "You think I could do that if I lose a game to you?"

Patrick puts his hand to his forehead and sighs.

"That's not how it works."

Markus frowns.

"Now," Markus turns to the other Dark Zone players. "Let's get out of here. Our mission's complete. It's time to move on to the next portion."  
The other Dark Zone players cheer and Patrick leads them all outside.

 **A few minutes later. Same location.**

Orlando bursts through the door, followed by Penelope and Isaac. Kat and Lux follow just behind them. They all walk in to find the room completely empty of all players.

"It's quiet," Orlando crosses his eyebrows.

"Too quiet…" Isaac steps forward.

The others all look at Isaac.

"I thought that was an appropriate time," Isaac shrugs.

"We must be late," Kat begins to walk around the room. She picks up a facedown card beneath one of the tables to reveal a copy of Dragonic Overlord "The Legend". She walks over and hands it to Orlando.

"You think this fell out of his deck?" Orlando asks.

"No," Lux answers from behind them. He reaches forward and grabs at the air near the card until Orlando hands it to him. "This card doesn't belong to a Dragon Empire player. It's out of place."

"How do you know that?" Orlando eyes Lux, who raises his hand to concentrate on the card.

"I told you when I met you," Lux says. "These cards have their own resonance, and this one doesn't match the vibe of this room."

"Well, what does it match then?" Orlando asks.

"Something mysterious," Lux tilts his head. "Dark, even."

"Dark, huh?" Orlando crosses his arms.

Lux nods.

"Someone left it here," Lux adds. "They left it here like they wanted someone to know they've arrived."

"You got all of that from one card?" Penelope asks.

"Teach me how to do that!" Isaac exclaims.

"I can't just teach you," Lux says. "I was born like this."

"Even blind?" Isaac asks.

Lux nods.

"So… what do we do now?" Penelope asks. "Do we just stand here and wait?"

"No," Orlando pounds his fist. "We have to keep practicing. This has to be a sign that we're not ready, right?"

Kat nods.

"Maybe," she answers. "Lux, what do you think?"

Lux places his hand on a nearby table and bends over to pick up another card.

"I don't think they only got the Overlord player," Lux answers. He lifts the card up and reveals Dragonic Vanquisher to the others.

"I don't think we have much time," Kat looks at Orlando. "Who do you think they'll target next?"

"Well," Orlando squints. "If they left these two cards for a reason, they obviously are trying to make it a point to someone that they're coming."

"So?" Penelope asks.

"I think they know someone is against them," Orlando continues. "This may have been a warning shot to back off. If that's the case, we need all the help we can get."

"I think we need to relocate again," Kat nods. "If we stay in that old classroom too long, they're going to find us."

"Good idea," Orlando says. "Any suggestions?"

"We could always ask my old roommate if the old study lounge is open," Kat says.

"Please, for the love of God, not her," Orlando rolls his eyes.

"Why not?" Kat asks. "She still has access to it, and it's private enough so people won't be disturbing us during practice."

"But she's always so…"

"Happy?" Kat asks. "Bubbly?"

"Yeah. That."

"Well," Kat looks at the other three. "Do any of _you_ have any suggestions?"

The others shake their heads.

"Good, then it's decided," Kat nods confidently. "Besides, she can even help us practice. I mean, she did just get elected Zoo Nation Student Body President, after all."

"That's because the Zoo Nation are all hippies," Orlando rolls his eyes.

"I resent that," Kat slaps Orlando in the chest. "We are not!"

Orlando sighs. "To the Zoo building it is, then…"

 **Dark Zone Administration Building Conference Room.**

"Good work, everyone," Patrick walks around the table of Dark Zone players. "Thanks to you, we've captured two strong Dragon Empire players. Soon, the nation as a whole will begin to crumble here on campus, and we will have a lot of new players to add to our army. Keep up the good work, but more importantly, we must lay low until we are told to pursue the next part of our mission…" He shoots a glare at Adrian. "Until then, continue to practice with each other, and this meeting is now dismissed."

The players all stand from their seats and begin to proceed from the doorway.

On the way out, Adrian bumps into someone and staggers a step or two. Upon catching his balance, he looks up to see Tori doing the same. Tori pushes her sunglasses up on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry,"Adrian says. "I didn't mean to-"

"No harm done," Tori answers. "Now, I must be going."

She begins to pace down the hallway.

"See you around!" Adrian calls after some hesitation, but Tori is too far away to hear and answer.

After everyone spills out of the room, Markus approaches Patrick, who is still seated behind a desk in the front.

"Patrick," he says. "What are _we_ supposed to do?"

"Shhh…" Patrick whispers as he picks up a card on the desk and begins to twirl it in his left hand. "All in due time, my dear friend… all in due time."

Patrick continues to twirl the card as Markus leaves the room. He smiles as he sets down Ranunculus of Searing Heart, Ahsha on the desk and leaves.

 _Author's Note:_

Thank you everyone for reading Chapter 7 of _Blind Revelations_! Once again I hope you all enjoyed it and I hope you are thrilled to find out what is to come in future chapters. Please don't hesitate to leave reviews or PM me about what you think so far. I appreciate each and every bit of the ones I've received so far.

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its content used in _Blind Revelations_.

Thanks again,

J. J. Wayne


	8. Isaac's Choice

**Chapter 8: Isaac's Choice**

 **Two years ago. Midtown High School Cardfight Team Qualifier.**

Isaac shuffles toward the table and pulls out his small deck box. It is covered in scuffs and has small wrinkles on the edges, yet he carefully pulls out his deck from the box and smiles. He sits and begins to scroll through the deck, frowning as he looks at a split in one of his sleeves. He pulls out a small box from his bookbag and removes a spare sleeve from the box before switching it with the torn sleeve of his avatar: Dragonic Blademaster.

He shuffles the card into his deck and then scrolls through once more. The deck is full of commons, most at one or two of's, but with one copy of Dragonic Blademaster.

Isaac smiles as his opponent sits down across from him, then sticks his hand across the table to greet his opponent.

"Isaac Blaze," Isaac smiles. "I just built this deck this week."

His opponent frowns and refuses the shake.

"Well, this should be easy then," the opponent says. "The name's Drake Freeman. I don't intend on losing to rookies. I'm going to take this school to the top, and I don't need people like you standing in my way."

Isaac frowns.

"You seem very determined," Isaac states. "You must be good at this game."

Drake smirks, and the two begin prepare to start the game.

"Best there is," he says as he shuffles two cards from his starting hand back into his deck and draws two more.

"All right, Vanguarders!" the coach yells.

"Ugh… I hate when he calls us that…" Drake mumbles.

"Are you ready?" the coach calls.

"Yeah!" Isaac yells.

"All right, then…" the coach says.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" the whole room yells.

"Wyvernkid Ragla," Isaac smiles.

"Red Pulse Dracokid," Drake says.

"You play Kagero, too?" Isaac asks.

"Yep," Drake says as he draws his first card. He places his grade one ride onto his vanguard and pulls his starter behind it. "Pass."

"I ride," Isaac says as he duplicates the move. "12000 at your vanguard."

"No guard."

"Drive check… critical trigger!" Isaac yells. "I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage… draw trigger. I give it to my vanguard." Drake draws a card. "Second check: no trigger."

"So who usually wins when two dragon decks play against each other?" Isaac asks.

"What?" Drake draws his card for turn.

'You know, because dragon decks always win," Isaac continues. "Which one wins if two face each other?"

"The one that's built correctly," Drake sneers. "But I'm sure we both know which one _that_ is. I ride: Dragonic Burnout. Then I call Burning Horn Dragon to my left," he flips a damage face down and moves Red Pulse Dracokid to his soul. "Red Pulse Dracokid's skill: I look at the top five cards of my deck and add Dragonic Overlord "The X" to my hand. Dragonic Burnout attacks your vanguard."

Isaac looks at it his hand.

"No guard."

"Drive check," Drake answers. "Heal trigger. I give all effects to Burning Horn Dragon and heal my facedown damage."

"Damage check: no trigger."

"Burning Horn attacks your vanguard for 14000."

Isaac places a critical trigger from his hand onto the guardian circle.

"I pass," Drake says.

Isaac draws, then places a card from his hand onto his vanguard circle.

"I ride: Dragon Knight, Jabad. Jabad attacks your vanguard for 14000."

"No guard."

"Drive check," Isaac reveals the top card of his deck to find his one Dragonic Blademaster. "Yes! My avatar: Dragonic Blademaster!"

Drake smirks as he stares down at Isaac's trigger zone.

"Damage check," he says. "No trigger."

"I pass," Isaac responds.

"Good," Drake laughs as he stands and draws. "Then I ride, the true avatar of Kagero! Dragonic Overlord "The X"! Then I call another Burning Horn Dragon to the right. The X attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"No guard," Isaac says.

"First check, critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to my left Burning Horn. Second check: Dragonic Overlord the End… no trigger."

"Damage…" Isaac hesitates. "First check, no trigger. Second check, no trigger." He looks down at the three cards in his damage, then at Drake's two.

"The right hand Burning Horn attacks for 12000."

"Guard…"

"Now the left. 17000."

"No guard…" Isaac takes the top card of his deck and puts it into his damage. "Critical trigger. I give the power to my vanguard."

Drake shakes his head. "I pass."

Isaac stands and draws.  
"I ride," he says. "Dragonic Blademaster! I call Double Perish Dragon to my front row."

"That's a grade 3…" Drake says. "Wouldn't you rather discard it to stride?"

"I would," Isaac points to his empty G-Zone. "But as you can see, I don't have any strides right now. I was hoping to meet another Kagero player who might be willing to trade me some. I mean, I don't have much, but…"

"I'm not interested," Drake interrupts.

"Okay, if you're sure," Isaac frowns. "I didn't mean to intrude."

Drake shakes his head. "Just take your turn."

"Dragonic Blademaster attacks your vanguard for 11000," Isaac rests his vanguard.

"No guard."

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to my rearguard. Second check: heal trigger! I give all effects to my rearguard and heal a damage."

"Damage check: draw trigger. I give the power to my vanguard and draw." Drake draws and smiles at the perfect guard in his hand. "Second check: no trigger."

"Double Perish Dragon attacks your vanguard for 21000."

"Guard," Drake drops two 5000 shields from his hand.

"I pass," Isaac answers.

Drake nods, then stands his units and draws.

"That's it," he says. "It's time for me to show you what a real Kagero deck can do." He laughs for a second before continuing. "I call: Calamity Tower Wyvern behind my vanguard. With its skill, I soulblast two and draw a card."

"You didn't stride, either," Isaac points at the face down cards in Drake's G-Zone.

"I don't _need_ to," Drake answers. "I plan on ending this here."

Drake picks four cards from his drop zone.

"Legion!" he yells, as he shuffles the four cards into his deck. "Dragonic Overlord the End!"

"The End?" Isaac perks, then leans over Drake's field as Drake places Dragonic Overlord the End from his deck onto his vanguard circle.

"The _End_ ," Drake lowers his head and smirks at Isaac. "With Dragonic Overlord "The X"'s skill, I add a Dragonic Overlord the End from my deck to my hand. This is the end of your dream to join Midway's Cardfight team. This is my time to take us to victory, not your time to scrub out and embarrass us."

"My legion attacks your rearguard for 22000!"

"My rearguard?"

"You heard me."

"No guard…?" Isaac questions Drake.

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard! Second check: draw trigger! I give the power to my vanguard and draw!"

"Why did you…" Isaac moves his rearguard to his drop zone.

"Dragonic Overlord the End's skill," Drake flips two of his damage face down, then discards a copy of Dragonic Overlord the End. "I restand my vanguard."

"What?" Isaac's eyes grow.

"I attack your vanguard for 32000 with an extra critical!"

Isaac looks at his hand, then throws down three cards.

"I guard for 36000!"

"Twin drive… first check: no trigger. Second check: heal trigger! I give the power to my vanguard and heal a damage."

"Damage check…" Isaac looks down at his four damage. "No trigger… heal trigger! I give the power to my vanguard and stay at five!"

"With Dragonic Overlord the End's skill…" Drake counterblasts his last two damage. "I stand my vanguard again! Now I attack your vanguard for 37000, two critical!"

"I.. can't guard that…" Isaac answers.

"Drive check… critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to my left Burning Horn. Second check: no trigger."

"Damage…" Isaac picks up the top card of his deck. "No trigger."

"You lose," Drake crosses his arms.

"How many times can you restand your legion?" Isaac asks.

"Enough to destroy noobs like you," Drake answers. "You're just starting out, so I'm not going to be too hard on you. But you need to learn one valuable lesson: if you're going to play Kagero, don't play that crap. Play Overlord, or nothing at all."

Drake picks up his deck and walks away.

Isaac picks up his vanguard, Dragonic Blademaster, and holds it in his hand. A tear forms in his eye.

"No…" he whispers to Dragonic Blademaster. " _You_ are my avatar. I'll show them all how strong you can be."

 **Hidden classroom.**

"Isaac? Hello?" Kat waves her hand in front of Isaac's face, who is sitting in a chair in a daze. Orlando, Lux, and Penelope wait by the door with their bookbags on.

"Isaac, are you there?" Kat asks.

Isaac finally shivers from his daze, finding himself staring at the single Dragonic Overlord "The Legend" sitting on the table in front of him next to a copy of Dragonic Vanquisher.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"You could have fooled us," Orlando says from the doorway. "Penelope wanted to leave you here."  
"I did not!" Penelope slaps Orlando's arm. Then she mumbles, "You weren't supposed to _tell_ him."

"We need to head over to Amber's dormitory as soon as possible," Kat throws on her own bookbag. "The sooner we get there, the less chance of the Dark Zone finding us. Lux and I mapped out a route that should make us harder to spot travelling across campus."

"You trusted the blind guy to make us a map?" Orlando asks.

"I'll have you know I have every bit of this campus memorized," Lux answers. "I even know exactly how many steps it will take us to get there."

"It sounds like you have a little too much time on your hands," Orlando chuckles. He proceeds out the doorway, followed by Lux and Penelope.

"Come on, Isaac. Let's go." Kat picks up the two cards on the table and then walks toward the doorway and looks bag at Isaac. He picks up his bookbag and follows her out.

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge.**

Kat leads the others into the study lounge, filled with couches and furniture with a couple of TV screens on the other side of the room.

"Guys! You made it!" they hear a voice from the other side of the room as a girl with golden brown hair begins to walk in their direction.

"Oh no… here she comes…" Orlando mumbles to the others.

"Amber! I'm so glad to see you again!" Kat embraces the girl with open arms. "Everyone, this is my old roommate."

"I can't believe I get to meet so many cool kiddos!" Amber jumps excitedly. "Once we get to know each other better you can all call me Buttercup."

Isaac and Penelope look at each other.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" Amber laughs. "You can just call me that now!"

"I'm not calling you Buttercup," Orlando shakes his head.

"Oh, you!" Amber hops over to Orlando. "I remember you! You're Kat's teammate! Where's number three?" She looks around for a second.

Penelope exhales sharply, and Kat grabs Amber by the arm to lead her to Lux, Penelope, and Isaac.

"Alexandria is… no longer with us," Kat looks down. "Might I introduce you to her sister, Penelope."

"Penelope, huh?" Amber walks up to Penelope and puts her hand out to greet her. "You don't look very much like your sister."

"Thanks," Penelope steps back and rolls her eyes. "Is it my dark hair as compared to her snow blonde? Or are you trying to say I'm too thin compared to her?" Penelope looks away for a minute.

"She doesn't like being compared to her sister," Lux interrupts. He looks over at Penelope as she makes eye contact with him and nods.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Amber retreats. "I didn't know."

"I know you didn't," Penelope sighs. "I can't get mad at you for that. It's not like you started comparing my gameplay to hers."

"Is it similar?" Amber questions. "I don't mean to pry, but I've seen your sister play, and she's really good!" Amber jumps for joy, then looks at Penelope before regaining composure. "I only ask because I've never seen anything like her."

Penelope rolls her eyes again.

"Some people seem to think so," she answers. "I don't know. Maybe it's because I play the same clan she did. Maybe it's because she taught me how to play."

"That's really sweet," Amber puts her hands together. "Do you play the same clan as her out of remembrance?"

Penelope steps back.

"I think I'm done with this conversation. Could you point me to the bathroom?"

"I'm sorry," Amber steps closer. "It's down that way on the right. I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries… I…"

Penelope storms off before Amber can finish.

Amber looks at Kat apologetically.

"I'm so sorry… I…"

"Don't worry about it," Kat says. "She'll cool down soon. Besides, let me introduce you to our other two tagalongs." She gestures toward Lux and Isaac.

"This is Lux," Kat introduces.

Amber puts her hand out and Lux does the same. Their hands are still several inches apart, so Kat takes Amber's hand and moves it to touch Lux's. Lux smiles and shakes Amber's hand.

"Is he…?" Amber whispers.

"Blind," Lux answers. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am."

"So why are you at a Cardfight school?" Amber asks.

"You know, I feel that at some point or another, you'll discover the answer to that question all on your own."

"Are you challenging me?" Amber blushes.

"I could be."

Kat smiles, then leads Amber to Isaac.

"And this here is our friend, Isaac," she introduces.

"Pleasure to meet you, Isaac," Amber says.

Isaac looks down at the ground, not moving a muscle.

"She said it's a pleasure to meet you, Isaac," Kat states. She touches Isaac's shoulder, yet he still is unresponsive.

"Is he okay?" Amber asks.

"He's usually a lot more talkative," Kat answers.

"Seriously," Orlando walks over. "Usually we can't get him to shut up. That's why I figured you two would get along so well."

Amber blushes.

"You try so hard to make me angry, don't you?" she asks. "You should know by now it's a lot harder than it looks."

"Here, guys. Let's just leave Isaac alone for a while," Kat looks at Orlando and Amber. "Maybe he's just tired."

"Sure thing!" Amber exclaims. "Why don't you and I play a game, Kat? You know, for old times sake."

"Sounds like a good plan," Kat answers. "I used to love practicing against you."

"Yay!" Amber jumps for joy. "Besides, we already know who the better player here is. You just didn't have the time to run for president."

"Oh, don't say that," Kat says. "You're still a fantastic player."

Orlando helps the two set up a table, and Amber and Kat pull out their decks and proceed to post mulligan.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they yell.

Lux walks over to Isaac and reaches out his hand. Isaac finally wakes up from his trance and takes Lux's hand to shake it.

"Is everything okay?" Lux asks.

"I'm fine," Isaac responds. "I think."

Orlando, overhearing the two, saunters over to join the conversation.

"You seem a bit off today," he says to Isaac.

"Yeah, I know," Isaac answers. "I keep reliving one of my worst nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Orlando asks.

"Well, yeah, sort of," Isaac says. "I mean, it's actually something real that happened a couple of years ago, back when I first started playing the game."

"Well?" Orlando asks.

"You see, I know Drake Freeman personally."

"The Overlord player?"

Isaac nods.

"Well, what about him?" Orlando asks.

"I used to go to high school with him. He was a bit of a jerk back then."

"Don't worry. That hasn't changed," Orlando answers. "We used to have this huge rivalry to see who the better player was at locals."

"Really?" Lux asks. "How long ago was that?"

"About three months ago."

"That wasn't very long ago…" Isaac answers.

"Yeah, I know," Orlando says. "When you're the national champion, everyone thinks they have something to prove against you."

"Anyway," Lux touches Isaac's shoulder. "Let's get back to your story."  
"Right," Isaac hesitates. "When I first met him, he called me a bad player. He told me I wasn't good enough… and I never would be with Dragonic Blademaster."

"Sounds like you've been on a mission to prove him wrong," Lux says.

Isaac nods.

"I had forgotten about him before this whole spill," Isaac says. "I mean, sometimes I thought about it but it didn't bother me, because I know I'm better than I was back then."

"Then why are you worried about it now?" Orlando asks.

"I don't know," Isaac answers. "It's like I have this strange feeling, urging me to be stronger. Stronger than I ever was before. It keeps bringing up this fear of mine… and telling me to fight back."

"That's just your conscience," Orlando says. "It's telling you to face your fears, like a man."

"I don't think so," Isaac shakes his head. "I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I'm not evil either. And whatever this feeling is… it's pretty sinister."

Orlando looks at Lux, then back at Isaac.

"What makes you say that?" Lux asks.

"You're the psychic," Isaac answers. "You tell me."

Isaac grabs Lux's hand from his own shoulder and moves it to his forehead. Immediately, Lux's body stiffens, then he begins to shake.

 _"Stronger…"_ Lux hears the whispers inside Isaac's head.

 _"Face your fear…"_

 _"You'll never conquer your goals unless you make yourself stronger…"_

 _"Find the strength within you…"_

 _"Find… your dark side…"_

Lux falls into the floor and screams.

"My head! No! Not again!"

Orlando crouches next to Lux, then looks at Isaac, who stares back and gasps.

"No, Lux!" Isaac exclaims. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Lux writhes in pain as he hears another voice whisper.

 _"Go to sleep… Lux… 'twill all end soon…"_

Orlando grabs Lux by the shoulders and rolls him onto his back quickly, and Lux jolts awake.

"Lux!" Orlando yells as he puts his face in Lux's. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes!" Lux yells back into Orlando's face.

"I think he's awake," Isaac says.

Orlando and Isaac help life Lux to his feet and the three look over at Kat and Amber, still playing their game.

"You girls weren't concerned?" Orlando asks.

"Of course we were. I just know not to panic unlike you," Kat winks. She turns to Lux. "Are you feeling okay, Lux?"

Lux nods slowly.

"I'm sorry," Amber looks at the guys. "What did I miss? We were so enveloped in this game that I forgot anyone else was here!"

Amber puts her hand to her mouth and giggles.

"See, Isaac?" Orlando gestures. "You two are just alike."

Isaac looks down without smiling, then looks back at the others.

"Can I be excused for a moment?" Isaac asks.

"Well, the men's restroom is just a door over from the women's," Amber answers. "Did you see which direction your friend went earlier? It's over that way."

Isaac nods, then turns and walks away.

"Should I go check on him?" Kat asks.

Orlando shakes his head.

"We should give him some time to cool down," Lux answers. "It seems like what's going on is a bit deeper than he can comprehend at the moment. We wouldn't want to distress him any more."

"As long as he's prepared when it comes time to fight the Dark Zone, I don't care," Orlando says. "But I can't have him not at his strongest. We need all the help we can get."

"I'll help!" Amber jumps. "What is it that I'm helping with?"

"Well, first, we should finish our game," Kat says. "You know, so we can practice."

"Okay!" Amber beams.

Orlando looks at Kat and sighs.

"I ride: Ranunculus of Searing Heart, Ahsha!" Amber yells, then she reveals a grade 3 in her hand. "Then, I stride: Flower Princess of Perpetual Summer, Verano! I use Verano's skill first to call two Sunshine Maiden, Paula to both of my front row rearguard circles from my hand. Then, since I flipped Verano with the skill, I can search my deck for a third Paula and call her behind my right hand rearguard. This one gains boost! Afterward, I trigger Ahsha's on-stride ability to call a fourth Paula, now behind the left rearguard… and this one gains boost as well!"

"She's boosting with grade 2's…" Lux holds his hand up and slowly walks toward the game. "It's not often I've witnessed people play Neo Nectar."

"Really?" Amber asks excitedly. "How do I seem to be doing so far?"

"I'm impressed," Lux nods.

"Good!" Amber exclaims before turning back to her game. "Now that I've used my skills, all of my blooms go off, and since both Paula in my front row bloomed three times each. They will each gain 30000 power when they attack."

Orlando puts his hand to his forehead.

"I always hated facing Neo Nectar…" he shakes his head. "Good luck, Kat."

"I'll be okay, Orlando," Kat answers. She looks down at her two damage and nods before looking at Amber's four.

"My left hand Paula attacks your vanguard for 48000 boosted!" Amber yells.

"No guard," Kat checks the top card of her deck. "Draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard." She draws a card.

"Verano attacks your vanguard, boosted by Augury Maiden, Ida for 31000."

Kat looks down at her field. She has a Binoculus Tiger on her left and two Coiling Duckbill in her back row.

"I intercept with Binoculus Tiger," Kat smiles. "Then, I discard a heal trigger to generation guard: Head of the Bastion, Ardillo. With its skill, I can choose any number of my own rearguards and retire them. Then, if I have three or more open rearguard circles, Ardillo gains 10000 shield. Since I intercepted, I already have three open circles, so I choose to retire none. That will guard me for 46000: a three to pass."

Lux nods approvingly at Kat as Amber performs her drive check.

"Drive check one: critical trigger! I give all of its effects to my right hand Paula. Check two: no trigger! Then three: stand trigger! I give all effects to the left hand Paula! Now my right hand Paula can attack your vanguard for 58000 with an extra critical!"

Kat glances at her hand, then down at Ida's field.

"You have how many cards in your hand?" Kat asks.

"Seven."

Kat smiles.

"I perfect guard," she answers.

Just as Amber reaches for her G-Unit, Kat clears her throat.

"Just a second," Kat says. "I also choose to discard a heal trigger and Generation Guard again. This time I use Sheltered Heiress, Spangled. With its skill I flip a g-guardian and my perfect guard gains the ability: When this is retired from Guardian circle, I draw a card."

"That's pretty cool," Amber says.

"I thought so," Kat replies as she retires her guardians and draws a card. "Anything else?" She reaches for the top card of her deck.

Amber nods.

"My left hand Paula attacks your vanguard."

"No guard. No trigger."

"I pass my turn," Amber smiles. "Hit me with your best shot."

"Oh, I intend on it," Kat smiles back as she stands and draws. "I ride: Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage. Then, with its skill, I discard Honorary Professor, Chatnoir from my hand to stride into Immortality Professor, Brahmananda… Break Stride!"

"Here she goes…" Orlando shakes his head.

 **Just down the hallway outside the Men's Restroom.**

Isaac slides his bookbag off and sits down on a bench, still staring at the ground. He hears the laughter of the others down the hall and gives a half-hearted smile in their direction. Finally he unzips his bookbag and pulls out his deck box.

Sighing, he opens the box and pulls out his deck, with Dragonic Blademaster sitting at the very front.

" _Stronger spirit..." he hears the voices again._

 _"Find your stronger self…"_

 _"You are better than you think you are…"_

"I know I'm better than I think," Isaac sways in dizziness for a second.

 _"Embrace your stronger side… your inner dark side…"_

Isaac continues to sway on the bench.

Penelope walks out of the women's room and spots Isaac swaying on the bench. She cocks her head and waves her hand to him, but he doesn't notice.

"Isaac!" she claps her hands, but to no avail.

Penelope sighs as she slaps Isaac in the face hard enough to make a loud smacking sound. He jolts, then shakes himself awake to see Penelope standing over him with her hands on her hips.

"You okay?" Penelope asks.

Isaac looks down at his deck, then puts it in its box.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he mutters as he rubs his hand on his cheek. "Did you really have to hit me that hard?"

"Well, to be honest, I've been wanting to do that for a while."

"Why?"

"Reasons," Penelope answers. "Say, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Isaac looks away.

"Not really," he answers. "I think I'm going to back away from Vanguard for a while."  
"But we need you," Penelope responds.

"No, you don't," Isaac says back. "Orlando and Kat are former members of Team Undisputed. Now, they have Lux on their team as Team Platinum. And you… you were trained by Alexandria Blake… Cardfight is in your genes. Face it; I'm the weak link."

"You're not the weak link," Penelope answers. "You're a good fighter. Where's that happy, excitable, 'Denial Griffin on your vanguard' Isaac I know and have learned to tolerate even though he gets on my nerves 24/7?"

Isaac shrugs.

Penelope rolls her eyes.

"Look," she says. "I'm not good at these inspirational speeches, okay? You have to give me something to work with here. All I can say is, we do need you. You're just as much a part of this team as I am. Or even as Orlando Wyatt is, even though I still don't understand why you idolize him."

Isaac looks back at his deck box, then back at Penelope.

"I guess," he says. "And I'll be here for you guys for emotional support. But I think I'm done playing Vanguard."

"I'm not going to change your mind, am I?"

Isaac shakes his head.

"I'm tired of feeling like I have to prove something to everyone," he responds. "I want to go back to the excitable me, but I can't do that if I keep stressing out over some game from a couple of years ago."

"Look," Penelope says. "I know Orlando won't be happy to hear it, but I can't tell you what to do. So, all I can say is I'm here. And if you happen to change your mind, we'd all love to have you fight the Dark Zone with us… even me."

"Thanks, Penelope," Isaac stands and hugs Penelope.

"Please let go."

"Oh," Isaac quickly lets go of Penelope. "I thought…"

"No, Isaac."

Penelope walks away, leaving Isaac to stare off into space, half smiling.

 _Author's Note:_

Hello, friends and readers alike! I cannot express to you all how much fun I'm having coming up with all these ideas for _Blind Revelations_ , so I hope you have just as much fun reading these chapters. If any of you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to drop 'em off for me, whether via PM or by review. I enjoy reading each and every piece of feedback I can get on these, as I love improving my abilities as a writer.

Thank you so much for reading this chapter!

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	9. The Spell Continues

**Chapter 9: The Spell Continues**

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge**

"You always were stronger than me," Amber smiles as she picks up her cards from the table.

"That's not true," Kat answers. "You've beaten me a few times before."

"Luck plays a factor in this game too, ya know…" Amber puts her cards back into her deck box. "But it's okay. I wish I could be as strong of a fighter as you."

Kat blushes.

"Well, thanks for the compliment," she answers. "I'm glad to know you think so highly of me." Kat carefully slides her own deck back into its box.

Penelope glances back toward Isaac as she sits down in the room. Lux nudges Orlando and gestures toward Penelope, who looks down at the ground and begins to twiddle with her hands. She pulls out her deck from her bookbag on the ground and scrolls through it.

"How can you-?" Orlando mumbles to Lux.

"Are you really going to ask?" Lux answers. "Or are you going to check on her?"

Orlando sighs and walks across the room to Penelope.

"Everything okay?" Orlando asks Penelope as he sits next to her.

"Yeah. It's fine." Penelope stops at Anger Boil Dragon in her deck and stares at it for a minute.

Orlando begins to stand, but stops to think for a second before sitting back in his seat.

"Look, Penelope, we have to be able to trust each other if we're going to make it through this Dark Zone thing," he says. "So I need you to trust me."

Penelope continues to stare down at her deck, but nods.

"So, please tell me… what's wrong?" he asks.

"You should talk to Isaac," she answers.

"I came over here to talk to you."

"I know that. But you need to talk to Isaac. You have to talk some sense into him. You're his _idol_."

"I'm not…"

Penelope looks at Orlando and touches his shoulder. They make eye contact and Penelope nods at him.

"Yes. You are."

"What's he saying?" Orlando asks her.

"Go find out for yourself…"

Orlando sighs. He stands and walks back to Lux.

"Do you mind coming with me?" Orlando whispers to Lux. "She's making it sound serious."

"What's wrong?" Lux asks.

"I'm not sure, but it has something to do with Isaac."

Kat looks at the two questioningly.

"Should we go check on Isaac?" she asks.

"You could hear us, couldn't you?" Orlando answers.

"That's not what I asked," Kat shakes her head. She brushes past Orlando and bumps his shoulder as she walks by.

"We're a team, Orlando," she says. "I'm finished with my game and I'm going to check on him."

Orlando and Lux follow Kat as she walks away down the hallway toward Isaac.

"So…" Amber attempts to break the silence to Penelope. "Sea turtles are cute, yeah?" she pulls up a picture of a turtle on her phone.

"Unless you're playing against Ripples…" Penelope answers.

Amber giggles.

"I didn't know you could make jokes," Amber says.

Penelope tilts her head.

"That's not what I meant," Amber covers her mouth. "I meant… your sense of humor doesn't seem to come out much."

"I guess not," Penelope stands.

Amber's phone rings in her hand and she checks it for a text message.

"Oh dear," she says. "I have to go. One of my freshmen locked himself out of his dorm and I am the only one with the key to let him in. I'll be back in a few minutes. You guys make yourselves at home here 'till I get back, okay?"

"Sure thing."

"Cool!" Amber shoots Penelope a thumbs-up. "When I get back, I challenge you! I want to be a part of your resistance against the Dark Zone."

"Sounds like a deal to me," Penelope smiles.

 **A few minutes later. Outside Antero Residence Hall.**

Amber walks up to the door of the residence hall to find a student standing just outside the door. She eyes him questioningly before approaching.

"I don't think I've met you before…" Amber says. "Are you sure you're at the right building?"

"Ah, yes, I'm new," the student answers. "My student ID hasn't been put into the system to get into the building yet."

"Can I see your ID for verification?" she asks. "I'm not allowed to open this building for you unless you're a student. It's a security thing."

"Of course."

The student pulls out his wallet and reveals his ID. Amber takes it and looks at it for a minute.

"Patrick King, huh?" she asks. "Your name sounds very familiar."

Amber swipes her own ID to open the door for Patrick.

"Would you mind following me inside?" Patrick asks. "I seem to still be lost when it comes to the layout of these buildings." He pulls a single Cardfight card from his shirt pocket and begins to twirl it in his left hand.

"Of course," Amber smiles. She looks at the single card in his hand, but can only see the back. "I don't know very many people who are left-handed."

Patrick shoots her a half-smile.

"You're the only person to have noticed," he says as he holds the door open for Amber.

They proceed inside the lobby, and Patrick stops her.

"Thank you for your help," Patrick smiles again and stops twirling the card. "Would you mind playing a game with me?"

"I have to get back," Amber turns. "I promised a friend I'd play a game with her."

"That's too bad," Patrick frowns. "I was hoping you'd be up for the challenge."

"Maybe another time?" Amber asks.

"Maybe," Patrick pauses. He flicks the card he had been twirling into the air and catches it between his index and middle fingers of his left hand before revealing it to her.

"Is that…?" Amber looks at the card and sees Ranunculus of Searing Heart, Ahsha. "How'd you know…?"

"Perhaps it was a lucky guess," Patrick smiles.

"Interesting…" Amber blushes. "You know… you seem to be an interesting person. I guess I have time to play one game with you out in this lobby."

"That sounds like a grand idea to me," Patrick grins.

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge.**

Kat runs back into the room to find Penelope profiling her deck at the play table.

"Where's Amber?" she asks in a frantic.

Orlando and Isaac trail behind, helping a groggy Lux into the room.

"She went to let a freshman into a residence hall," Penelope shrugs. "She said she'd be back in just a few minutes."

"She's in trouble," Orlando grunts.

Penelope's eyes widen, and she looks at Kat, who nods.

"Lux just had another revelation," Kat says. "And it looks like she may be getting lured into a trap."

"We have to find her as soon as possible," Orlando says as Lux finally begins to keep his own balance. "I may not be her biggest fan, but we need her help."

Penelope nods, then she looks at Isaac, who refuses to make eye contact with her.

Lux loses his balance again, and Kat flinches to catch him, alongside of Orlando.

"You two go on ahead," she turns to Isaac and Penelope. "Did she tell you where she was going?"

Penelope shakes her head.

"My idea is she's heading to the Antero Memorial Hall. That's where most of her freshmen stay," Kat says. "It was our hall as freshmen together. Try there first. We'll catch up once Lux comes to."

Penelope nods, then grabs Isaac by the arm.

"Let's go, Isaac," she says. "You heard them. We don't have much time."

"Whatever you do," Orlando calls. "Be careful. I need both of you when it's time to face the Dark Zone."

Penelope glares at Isaac and drags him out the door.

 **Just outside. A few minutes later.**

Penelope and Isaac walk outside the building. Neither have spoken a word to each other. Finally, Penelope decides to break the silence.

"So you didn't tell them did you?" she asks.

Isaac shakes his head in silence.

"When are you going to?"

Isaac shrugs.

"You know, now would be better than later."

The two continue to walk down a sidewalk as they look around at the dreary scenery around them.

"You know," Penelope attempts to change the subject. "This Dark Zone curse over campus is starting to get even worse."

They pass by a picnic table with a single girl in a dark purple dress, crying as she holds a book in her hand.

"I'll never figure this out…" they hear her mumble through her tears.

Isaac stops and begins to stare at the girl, almost mesmerized by her.

"Isaac, we have to go…" Penelope reaches for his arm, but he brushes her hand off.

"I need to talk to her."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know," Isaac begins to slowly walk toward the girl.

The girl turns to spot Isaac and immediately stands, wiping a tear from her eye.

"You!" she points at Isaac. "Fight me."

Isaac steps back, pointing at himself.

"Me?" he asks. "Why me?"

"I need to prove myself as stronger," she says. "I am a stronger fighter now."

Isaac turns to Penelope, who puts her hand on her hip and stares at the girl suspiciously.

"I won't let you leave until you fight me," the girl continues. "I must prove I can be stronger now. Please let me fight you."

Penelope stares at Isaac, who shakes his head.

"I said I was done…" Isaac says. "I meant it."

The girl looks at Penelope, then steps forward toward her.

"Then I need to fight you," the girl says. "You have no choice."

"Who are you?" Penelope asks.

"My name is Dorothy Long…" the girl answers. "I'm a freshman here. And it's time I prove myself to be stronger than the rest."

"All right then, Dorothy," Penelope cautiously takes off her bookbag and pulls out her deck box. "If you're here to prove yourself, so am I. I'll fight you."

The two stand on opposite sides of the picnic table and begin to shuffle their decks, as Isaac stands off behind Penelope nervously.

Penelope draws her starting hand and stares in disgust at a handful of triggers.

"All five going back," she says.

"Same here," replies Dorothy.

The two redraw their hands after shuffling.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they both yell.

"Blue Wave Dragon, Dagger Master Dracokid!" Penelope yells.

"Nightmare Doll, Natalie!" Dorothy says back.

"Oh no…" Isaac mumbles. "She's playing a Dark Zone deck…"

"I ride: Nightmare Doll, Leslie!" Dorothy yells.

"I ride: Blue Wave Soldier, Bright Shooter!" Penelope says. "Bright Shooter attacks your vanguard for 12000!"

"No guard."

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage check…" Dorothy answers. "No trigger… critical trigger. I give the effects to my vanguard."

"I pass," Penelope says.

"I ride: Nightmare Doll, Ginny." Dorothy places her grade 2 on Vanguard circle. "Then I call: Nightmare Doll, Gerda. With her skill I look at the top 3 cards of my deck…" she reveals the top three cards. "Since they all have Nightmare Doll in their names, I add Nightmare Doll, Brenda to my soul from among them. The two triggers I revealed go back to my deck." She shuffles her deck.

"Then I use my starter's skill," she continues as she flips a damage face down and shoves Natalie into her soul. "I look at the top 3 again…" she frowns. "I guess I'll add another Ginny to my soul. Since I did, I look one more time and add Nightmare Doll, Claris. My vanguard attacks for 9000."

"No guard," Penelope puts her hand on top of her deck.

"Drive check… no trigger."

"Damage… no trigger."

"Gerda attacks your vanguard for 9000."

"No guard… no trigger."

"I pass," Dorothy looks down as each of them have two damage.

Penelope picks up the top card of her deck and stares at her hand, full of grade 2's and triggers. The card she draws is another grade 2: Blue Wave Marine General, Foivos.

"I guess I'll have to make this work," Penelope says. "I ride: Blue Wave Machine General, Foivos. I call another to my left, and a Tidal Assault to my right in front of my starter!"

"My vanguard attacks first for 9000!" Penelope rests her vanguard.

"No guard!"

"Drive check… no trigger."

"Damage check… no trigger." Dorothy looks down at Nightmare Doll, Alice in her damage.

"Tidal Assault attacks next for 9000 with no boost."

"No guard… no trigger."

Dorothy eyes her four damage.

"Tidal's skill: I restand it and it loses 5000 power," Penelope continues. "Next Foivos attacks your vanguard."

"Gerda intercepts the attack…" Dorothy moves Gerda to the guardian circle.

"Foivos restands and attacks again for 11000."

"Guard…" Dorothy places a card from her hand onto the guardian circle.

"Tidal attacks once more for 9000 boosted by my starter."

"No guard."

Dorothy takes her fifth damage, eyeing it to see 'Nightmare Doll, Leslie' go to her damage.

"I pass my turn," Penelope says.

"Stand and draw…" Dorothy stares at her vanguard. "I ride: Nightmare Doll, Catherine!" The wind begins to blow as she places the card on her vanguard circle. "This is where I end it! With Catherine's skill, I search my deck for Nightmare Doll, Alice and add it to my soul! Then I call Nightmare Doll, Ginny from my hand to rearguard and use its skill to call Alice from my soul. Finally, I call Brenda and use her skill to place the Leslie in my soul behind Alice."

Penelope stares at Dorothy and frowns.

"Catherine attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"No guard."

"Drive check… heal trigger! I give all effects to the Leslie in my back row. Second check… no trigger."

"Damage check… no trigger."

"Alice attacks your vanguard, boosted by Leslie for 28000!"

"No guard… no trigger."

Dorothy smiles.

"I use Alice's skill. Since she hit, I counterblast one and put it into my soul," Dorothy flips her damage face down. "And I search my soul for one unit with a different name and call it to rearguard. I choose Nightmare Doll, Ginny. Then, with Ginny's skill, I put Ginny back into my soul to recall Alice and give Alice 5000 power. Since Alice was put into soul, Leslie's skill stands herself. Alice once again attacks boosted for 28000."

"No guard again…" Penelope takes her fourth damage. "Draw trigger. I give my vanguard 5000 power and draw a card."

"I do it again!" Dorothy counterblasts one of her three face up damage and redoes her combo. "Alice attacks again!"

"I guard!" Penelope throws down a critical trigger and a grade 1 from her hand. "15000 shield, so it doesn't hit."

"With Catherine's skill…" Dorothy smiles as she counterblasts one. "I throw Alice into my soul and call her back out! Leslie stands again!"

Penelope frowns. "This is just endless!"

"Alice attacks your vanguard for 23000!" Dorothy yells.

"No guard…" Penelope takes her fifth damage. "No trigger."

"One more time!" Dorothy counterblasts her last damage. "Alice attacks for 28000!"

Penelope growls as she looks at her hand.

"I guard… intercept!" Penelope throws two cards from her hand onto guard circle and intercepts with Tidal Assault. "15000 shield again."

"I pass my turn," Dorothy looks down at her hand.

"Stand and draw…" Penelope draws Battle Siren, Mallika and scowls as she looks at her hand, empty of grade 3's. "I call Tidal Assault again! Then I call Battle Siren, Mallika to give Tidal Assault 3000 power. Finally, I call Bright Shooter behind my vanguard." She waves her hands in front of Dorothy to reveal her hand is empty.

"My vanguard attacks yours for 16000," Penelope says.

"I guard…" Dorothy places the heal trigger from her hand onto guard circle. She hesitates before placing another card. "No pass."

"Drive check!" Penelope yells. "Critical trigger! I give all effects to Tidal Assault! Tidal attacks your vanguard for 17000, two critical!"

"Guard!" Penelope drops another two cards from her hand onto guard circle.

"Foivos attacks for 11000!"

"Guard!"

"Foivos attacks again!"

"Ugh… no guard…" Dorothy picks up the top card of her deck in hopes of a trigger, only to find another Nightmare Doll, Leslie. "No trigger."

"Tidal attacks again, this time boosted for 17000 again, still two critical."

Dorothy looks down at her hand, a grade 3 and a 5000 shield.

"I can't guard…" she picks up the top card of her deck and places it into damage. "I lose… I'm still not strong enough."

Penelope turns to find Orlando, Kat and Lux approaching behind Isaac. Orlando spots Penelope playing and hustles over.

"Is everything okay?" Orlando asks as he stares at Penelope and Dorothy.

"I'm still not strong enough…" Dorothy repeats. She drops down onto the picnic table as she accidentally knocks a few cards onto the cement below the table.

"What's wrong?" Kat asks.

"I'm not sure…" Penelope answers.

"I need to talk to someone…" Dorothy sits up, sobbing.

Lux slowly walks over with his hand out. He wanders around for a minute before finding Dorothy and placing his hand onto her forehead. He immediately begins to hear voices.

 _"All in due time…"_

 _"You'll be strong enough…"_

 _"Just keep practicing…"_

 _"Your avatar will thrive soon enough…"_

Lux pulls his hand back and looks at Isaac.

"It's the same voice…" he says. "It's telling her to keep practicing. That she'll be stronger soon."

Orlando looks at Kat, then at Dorothy.

"What's wrong with her?" he asks.

"I think she's fallen under the Dark Zone's spell over campus," Lux replies. He looks at Isaac. "You need to be careful."  
Isaac looks down and nods. Penelope stares at him but he refuses to look back.

"Guys, I hate to break this up," Kat walks in the middle of them. "But we still need to check on Amber, remember?"

Orlando jumps. "You're right!"

He turns to Lux and Penelope.

"You two and Isaac stay here," he says. "Kat and I need to see if Amber are okay. You three keep an eye on this girl here and let us know if anything goes wrong, okay?"

Penelope nods.

Orlando turns back to Kat.

"All right, Kat. Let's go."

Orlando and Kat break into full sprint away to go check on Amber.

"You think Amber will be okay?" Lux asks the others.

"No," Dorothy answers. The three turn to look at her as she makes dead eye contact with the three.

"What do you mean 'no'?" Penelope asks.

"She won't be. By the time your friends get there Patrick will have already captured her soul," Dorothy answers. "I knew about his plan. He sent me to scope the building in case someone tried to stop Amber from leaving."

"Someone like who?" Lux asks.

Dorothy shrugs.

"He never said," she answers. "He says the boss knows there is a group out to stop him. I assume he must mean you." She steps forward. "Is it true that you guys are trying to stop the darkness spell over campus?"

Penelope looks at the other two, then nods.

"Well… yes. We are."

"Well, you guys are going to need a lot of luck for that. The boss's spell over campus will get to you guys as well. You'll see."

"What makes you think that?" Lux asks.

"I don't think. I _know_."

Penelope and Isaac look at each other, then at Lux, who pushes the sunglasses up his face.

Lux puts his hand to his head in pain, then sits at the table.

"You guys… are we supposed to just sit here and wait for Orlando and Kat?" he asks.

"I guess," Penelope says as she looks at the three in front of her.

Lux groans.

"I need to get this checked out…" he slumps over at the table and slips out of consciousness.

"Ugh! Catch him!" Penelope yells as she and Isaac jump behind him.

 **Antero Residence Hall.**

Orlando and Kat rush to the entrance of the hallway, with the wind blowing papers around them. Orlando snatches on the door to no avail.

"It's locked!" he yells.

"Of course it is!" Kat answers back. She pulls out her student ID and swipes it and hears the sound of the locking mechanism release on the door.

"It's a good thing I brought you with me," Orlando says. "I forgot you stayed in this hall."

Kat shakes her head and opens the door, followed by Orlando.

The two walk inside to find the lobby empty, with a few notebooks and papers scattered throughout the room.

"We're too late, aren't we?" Kat asks.

Orlando stays silent, walking through the room. He picks up a piece of paper, finds it irrelevant, then throws it back behind him as he walks over toward the other side of the room.

Kat walks over to a play table nearby to find a single card sitting on it. She picks it up and gasps.

"Orlando, come here."

"Did you find something?"  
Orlando walks over and Kat holds up the card to reveal Ranunculus of Searing Heart, Ahsha. Orlando groans in disbelief.

"I can't believe it!" he yells.

"I know…" Kat answers. "We had just gotten her help, too. She even said she'd help us stop the Dark Zone."

"I meant the fact that they would just leave an expensive card like that behind them," Orlando points at the card. "But that makes a lot of sense, too."

"Orlando, you're so shallow!" Kat turns away.

"I'm sorry," Orlando steps toward Kat and puts his hand on her shoulder. "I know you two are good friends. We'll figure out a way to get her back."

"You're just saying that," Kat answers. "You don't even know that we _can_."

"You're right," Orlando responds. "I don't. But I know if anyone can, it's our team we have now. You, me, Lux, Penelope… even Isaac has potential to help us. You just wait. We'll fix all of this."

"That was probably the most influential thing I've ever heard you say," Kat answers. "Keep it up and you might actually be a good leader someday."

"Well, there's plenty more where that came from," Orlando smiles. "Now, let's go catch up with the others and start preparing again. We have to stop the Dark Zone's plan before all this gets even more out of hand."

Kat nods, and the two walk out of the building.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Patrick walks into a dark room and locks the door behind him. He walks over toward the other side of the room and lays down on a bed, reclining himself flat on his back.

"You called, master?" he asks, then he closes his eyes and immediately falls into a slumber. He immediately begins to hear the voice of the spell.

 _"I have a mission for you, my relentless disciple…"_

 _"I require the utmost strength of you to defeat an heir of Cardfight itself…"_

 _"...by blood… one of the strongest Cardfighters in the world…"_

 _"You must do so promptly… I have arranged for it to happen in just mere moments…"_

Patrick stays in the slumber for a minute or so, then awakens quickly.

"That was the shortest nap I've even taken, if I do say so myself," Patrick mumbles to himself as he walks toward the doorway. He opens the door then paces from the room, leaving a wall of picture frames on the hallway behind him: a wall with the pictures of Team Undisputed behind him.

 _Author's Note:_

Hello, readers! I know this chapter took a little longer than most to upload, and my sincerest apologies for that. Writer's block hurts a lot but I'm glad to be back on the pages! Thank you so much for all of your reads and reviews, as I hope to be improving as the chapters continue. Please if you have any comments or concerns just PM me or post in the reviews.

Thanks again!

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its content used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	10. Penelope's Bravery

**Chapter 10: Penelope's Bravery**

 **Outside at the picnic table.**

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Penelope tightens her hold on Lux as she and Isaac hold on to his squirming, yet unconscious body.

"What's wrong?" Dorothy asks.

"He does this sometimes…" Penelope answers. She tightens her grip again as Lux's body jolts suddenly.

"Head… hurts…" Lux mutters.

"Oh, no…" Penelope mumbles. "What is it now?"

Lux squirms in pain as he hears that eerie, hypnotizing voice from earlier.

 _"What do you think you're doing, Lux? I can't have you interfering in my plans. You will stop if you know what's best for you."_

Thoughts begin to rush through Lux's mind. He twists and turns with each one, wrenching both his hands onto his head now from the intensity of the headache. He yells out in pain loud enough for birds in nearby trees to spook and fly away swiftly.

"Lux! Snap out of it!" Penelope yells. "What is wrong?"

Lux continues to squirm. He twists around and grabs the table with his left hand and pounds it with his right repeatedly.

" _Lux! You will pay the price!"_

Finally, he snaps out of it after several minutes, leaning forward out of Isaac and Penelope's arms and slumping his upper body over the table.

"Is he… dead?" Isaac asks. He pokes Lux repeatedly to no avail.

"No, he's not dead, idiot," Penelope shakes her head. "You've seen him have revelations several times now."

"Not like that one."

"He looks dead to me," Dorothy pipes up.

"I assure you, he's not dead," Penelope says.

Isaac stares at Penelope as he continuously pokes Lux.

"So, what if he is dead?" Penelope asks. "Are you still going to sit here and poke his dead body?"

Isaac immediately jumps, then steps away from the table with his hands outstretched.

"Nope!" Isaac shakes his head. "Not touching dead people. That one's on _you_."

"That's what I thought," Penelope grins. "But he's not dead. See?"

Penelope grabs Lux's wrist and picks up his head, touching his wrist with two fingers to feel for a pulse.

"See? He has a pulse and everything," she says. She frowns and looks at Lux questioningly. "A very fast pulse… but a pulse…"

Lux jumps up and grabs Penelope's forearm, snatching her to his level and gets face to face with her.

"It's Magallanica," Lux whispers. "That's where they're headed."

"Who's 'they'?" Penelope asks.

"The Dark Zone," Lux continues. "All of them. It's like they're trying to take it by force."

"Not Magallanica…" Penelope rolls her eyes in disgust.

Lux nods.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Isaac asks.

Lux puts his hand to his head.

"I"m not sure, but the aftermath of that one still really hurts," he answers. "And what about Orlando and Kat? Won't they be expecting us here?"

Penelope frees herself from Lux's grasp and begins to pace between the picnic table and the tree.

"What are you doing?" Isaac asks her.

"I'm thinking."

"You're thinking what?"

"I'm thinking 'What Would Alexandria Do?'" Penelope continues pacing.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Lux asks. "I mean, you and Alexandria aren't exactly the same person."

Penelope stops.

"Wow, how observant of you," she snaps. "Look, someone has to stop them."

"Do you plan on taking them all at once?" Isaac asks. "That's crazy! Orlando can't even do something like that!"

"Then it's a good thing I didn't say 'What Would Orlando Do?'" Penelope answers. She picks up her bookbag and flings it over her shoulder.

"You two stay here," she says. "I'll need someone to tell Orlando and Kat where I'm going when they get back. You guys can head my way once they get here. Meanwhile, I've got some business to take care of."

"Don't you think you should think about this rationally?" Lux asks. "Wouldn't it be better if we all went together?"

"There's no time," Penelope says. "I can hold them off until the rest of you get there if I have to. This is our only shot, and I have to do it."

"No you don't," Isaac says.

"I do."

Penelope nods, then shoots a salute to the others before turning and sprinting away.

"You think she'll be okay?" Isaac asks Lux.

"I hope so," Lux answers.

 **Magallanica Administration Building. Several minutes later.**

It begins to rain as Penelope makes her way across a small bridge going over a creek that runs outside the building. She stops to look around, sees nothing suspicious, then exhales sharply as she jogs to the front door of the building.

"That must mean I got here first," she mumbles to herself. "Either that or worse… they're already inside."

Penelope opens the door and walks inside to see the lobby, looking normal as usual. The secretary behind the desk greets her with a smile.

"What can I help you with today?" the secretary asks.

"Is everything okay?" Penelope asks the secretary.

"I can't say nothing out of the ordinary considering recent events," the secretary answers. "But how are you to help with that?"

"I ask myself that same question," Penelope rolls her eyes. She paces across the room, then back to the desk. "Is the Magallanica president in here today?"

"She is," the secretary nods. "Today is one of her assigned office days, so she will be seeing students with questions and inquiries."

"Good, I have one," Penelope nods.

"A question or an inquiry?"

"Yes."

"Well, which is it?"

"Oh," Penelope looks around for a minute. "Both."

"You seem a very political woman," the secretary smiles. "I'll phone her right away. It makes me beam to see you young people getting involved with the community and politics."

"Thank you," Penelope answers. She rolls her eyes as the secretary turns away from her and picks up the phone.

"Seriously?" Penelope mutters to herself. "Both? What were you thinking?"

"Hello?" the secretary calls back to her. "She said she will be seeing you in the office on the third floor."

"Thank you," Penelope says. She walks over to the elevator and presses the button.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" the secretary pipes up. "Our elevator stopped working last week. Unfortunately with the current state of campus, I don't think it'll be fixed in the near future. You'll have to use the stairs."

"Of course," Penelope shoots a fake smile to the secretary and walks to the staircase. She begins to make her way up and mimics the secretary under her breath, squinting her face tightly and whispering, _"You'll have to use the stairs."_

Continuing up the stairs, Penelope keeps mumbling to herself.

"This is why I never do these kinds of things. I hate politics. I hate school. Why am I even here? Oh wait, that's right. It seems like I'm the only person who plays Magallanica that actually even knows to protect it. Hello, people? Big spooky spell on campus! Yet no one wants to stop it!"

She reaches the second floor, still mumbling and turns toward the third floor before stopping and turning back. She sees a figure standing in a room, shuffling their deck.

Shaking her head, she turns back toward the stairway.

"Excuse me, miss?" the figure calls to her.

She turns back toward him.

"Yes?"

"You seem familiar," the young man motions for her to walk into the room. "Do I know you?"

Penelope slowly makes her way toward the room.

"I'm sorry, my name's Patrick," he says. "And you are?"

"Penelope."

"Penelope Blake, I presume?" he asks.

"Yes," Penelope nods. She thinks for a minute and her eyes light up.

"I know who you are," she says quickly. "You don't play Magallanica, do you?"

Patrick shakes his head.

"Of course not," Penelope answers. "Because you're the Patrick in charge of all this mess, aren't you?"

Patrick puts his hands up.

"You've caught me red-handed," he smiles. "You're good, I must admit. But I'm better."

"Is that so?" Penelope crosses her arms. "I came here looking for you people. Speaking of which, where are all of your other groupies?"

"I came alone."

"You expect me to believe that."

"I did. The boss sent me on a special mission. The others don't know."

"But Lux said-"

"Who?"

Penelope shakes her head violently.

"No one," she answers. "Just tell me. What was your mission?" she scales the giant room, looking to see nothing out of the ordinary.

"To recover the heir of Cardfight Vanguard."

"The heir?"

Patrick nods.

"It runs in your blood," he answers. "Your sister is still well-renowned as the best Cardfight player to ever walk the face of this earth. And it's in your blood, too. I can feel it just from standing here across from you. And let me guess, you came here to stop me because you thought it's what she would've done."

Penelope steps back.

"That's what I thought," Patrick smiles. "In that case, Penelope Blake, it is my honor to challenge you to a Cardfight." Patrick pulls out his deck box and holds it up for Penelope.

"And it's my duty to stop your plan dead in its tracks," Penelope answers as she slides off her bookbag.

 **Back at the picnic table.**

Lux, Isaac and Dorothy sit around the table, awaiting Orlando and Kat's return. They all sit around the table, each with Cardfight Vanguard cards fanned out in their hands.

"Got any grade 3's?" Lux asks.

' "Go fish," Isaac answers.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Third card from your left: Dragonic Blademaster."

Isaac groans, then slams Dragonic Blademaster on the table.

"I swear this should be counted as cheating," Isaac yells as he stares at all the pairs in front of Lux. "He literally knows every card without seeing it."

He looks up and sees Orlando and Kat approaching, then jumps from the table. He stops and looks at Lux.

"You cheated, so I win by default," Isaac says.

"But even I have more pairs than you," Dorothy says.

"You cheated, too."

Isaac rushes over to Orlando and Kat.

"Someone's a sore loser…" Lux mumbles to Dorothy.

"Orlando, Kat!" Isaac yells as he approaches the two. "We have to go to the Magallanica building!"

"Where's Penelope?" Kat asks as she looks over at the picnic table.

"She's gone to stop the Dark Zone," Isaac answers. "Lux had a revelation and…"

"Say no more," Orlando puts up his hand. "We have to get there immediately. We can't afford to lose a single member of this team."

He walks over to Lux, who is picking up the cards from the table.

"What the heck were you guys doing? Playing Go Fish with Vanguard cards?" he asks.

"No," Isaac looks away quickly.

Orlando shakes his head, as he and Kat walk away. Lux and Isaac follow closely behind, along with Dorothy.

"You heard what he said," Lux whispers to Isaac. "He said we can't afford to lose a single member of this team. That includes _you_."

Isaac frowns, then looks at the ground.

 **Magallanica Building.**

Patrick and Penelope stand on opposite sides of the table. Patrick smiles at Penelope as he pulls out a deck of playing cards.

"Pick a card," he says.

Penelope looks at Patrick suspiciously, then pulls out a card as he smiles.

"Queen of Hearts," Penelope says as she looks at it.

"Interesting pick," Patrick smiles. "Now put it back."

Patrick fans out the deck of cards as she places the Queen of Hearts back in at a random place. He shuffles the deck and sets it on the table.

"Go on and cut," he says.

Penelope picks up the deck and shuffles it. Patrick smiles.

"Not very trusting, are you?" he asks.

"I have no reason to trust you."

"That's fair," Patrick nods. He picks up the deck of cards and bridges them. "Is this randomized enough?"

"No."

Patrick smiles and nods. He bridges the cards once more straight into the air, then catches one out of thin air and pops it toward Penelope's side of the table. It spins around in mid-air, revealing the Queen of Hearts. As it spins back around, the backside reads Cardfight! Vanguard, and she catches it as the other side faces in her direction.

"Is this your avatar?" Patrick asks.

Penelope stares at the card, then shakes her head.

"No," she answers. "That's not my avatar."  
Patrick's jaw drops.

"Are you serious?" he asks. "I've never been wrong before."

"I guess there's a first time for everything," Penelope says. "Now can we get on with this?"

"Stand up, Vanguard!" Penelope and Patrick yell.

"Blue Wave Dragon, Dagger Master Dracokid!"

"Cat Knight in High Boots!"

Patrick smiles as he draws a card.

"I ride: Cutie Paratrooper," he says.

Penelope draws, then stares at her hand in disgust.

"Ride: Ocean Keeper, Plato."

"Isn't that a perfect guard?" Patrick asks.

Penelope nods as she uses forerunner to pull her starter to her back right circle.

"Plato attacks your vanguard for 6000."

"No guard."

"Drive check," Penelope says. "No trigger."

"So the attack doesn't hit my 7000?" Patrick smiles.

Penelope shakes her head.

"I pass."  
Patrick draws.

"I ride: Flying Peryton. To my left I call Darkside Princess."

"Darkside Princess?" Penelope asks.

"Yes." Patrick smiles. "Wouldn't you say that's a beautiful name?"

Penelope shakes her head.

"I don't want to play anything with 'dark side' in its name," Penelope says.

"Flying Peryton attacks your vanguard for 9000." Patrick smiles.

"No guard."

"Drive check: Darkside Sword Master, a critical trigger. I give the critical to Peryton and the power to Darkside Princess."

"Damage check: no trigger. Second: no trigger."

"Darkside Princess attacks your vanguard. With its skill, Princess gains an additional 5000 power to attack for 19000."

"No guard. Damage check… no trigger."

Penelope looks down at her trigger zone and frowns as she places Anger-boil Dragon into her damage zone.

"Darkside Princess's skill moves it to soul," Patrick gestures his hand to Penelope. "Then I pass."

"Stand and draw," Penelope begins. "I ride: Blue Wave Marine General, Foivos. Then I call Tidal Assault to my right in front of my starter. Foivos attacks your vanguard for 9000."

"No guard."

"Drive check: another Foivos."

"So, no trigger?" Patrick asks.

Penelope shakes her head.

"Damage check," Patrick continues. "No trigger."

"Tidal Assault attacks your vanguard for 9000 unboosted."

"No guard," Patrick answers. "Damage check: stand trigger. I give the power to my vanguard."

Penelope restands Tidal Assault, then frowns, realizing it can no longer hit.

"I pass."

"Stand and draw," Patrick begins. "I ride my avatar: Masked Magician, Harri! I call Darkside Sword Master and Masquerade Bunny behind it. Darkside Sword Master attacks your vanguard boosted for 11000."

"Guard," Penelope places a draw trigger from her hand to guardian circle.

"Harri attacks your vanguard! I move Darkside Sword Master to my soul to give Harri an additional 5000 power and draw a card. Harri will attack for 16000."

"No guard."

"Drive check: no trigger. Second check: heal trigger. I give the power to my vanguard, but I don't heal, as you have 3 damage to my two."

"Damage check: critical trigger," Penelope says. "Power goes to my vanguard."

"I pass."

Penelope looks down at her hand at the complete lack of all grade 3's. She slowly reaches her hand for her deck.

"Come on… come on…" she mumbles.

 **Downstairs.**

Orlando opens the door and holds it behind him for the others as Isaac and Kat lead Lux through the door. Orlando looks at Dorothy questioningly as she walks in behind them, but shrugs. He walks up to the front desk.

"You see a girl walk in here?" he asks the secretary as he puts a hand up to his chest. "She's about this tall, dark hair, kind of a brash attitude about her?"

Lux reaches out and touches Orlando's chest, then feels for his hand and moves it a couple of inches higher.

"I'm _blind_ and I know how tall she is," Lux shakes his head.

"That depends on why you're asking," the secretary answers Orlando. "She's in a meeting with the nation president at the moment."

"We need to go up there now," Orlando says to the others. "We're already late."

The five rush toward the stairs.

"Wait, you aren't authorized…"

"We don't have time for this!" Orlando calls back to her. "We have to save our friend!"

The five rush up the stairs toward the second floor. As they round a corner to move toward the stairway for the third floor, Kat stops.

"What is it?" Orlando asks.

"There."

Kat points at a room just across the doorway. Orlando peeps through to see Penelope playing against Patrick.

"Good work, Kat," he says as he pats her on the back and paces to the other room.

"Did he just-" Kat leans toward Isaac.

"You have to give him credit," Isaac shrugs. "He's trying to be better."

The others follow Orlando into the room as they see Penelope with her hand on top of her deck.

 **Back to the game.**

Flashbacks begin to flood Penelope's memory.

 _Penelope stands her only unit: Blue Wave Dragon, Anger-boil Dragon. She reaches for the top card of her deck._

 _"Come on… this is why you're my avatar," Penelope mutters. "You know what to do…"_

" _I think you and your avatar need to get on the same page," Orlando grins._

" _Stand and draw…" Penelope draws Battle Siren, Mallika and scowls as she looks at her hand, empty of grade 3's._

"Come on, Anger-boil," Penelope mutters. "I need you now more than ever…"

Penelope picks up the top card of her deck and scowls.

"You know what?" she yells. "Screw it! I ride!"

Penelope throws the card she drew onto her vanguard circle.

"Blue Wave Dragon, Tetra-Drive Dragon!"

Patrick leans forward and raises his eyebrow.

"I discard Foivos and Bright Shooter to stride!" Penelope continues. "Blue Wave Brave General, Artiom!"

Patrick rubs his chin for a second as Penelope begins using card effects.

"With Artiom's skill, I look at the top seven cards of my deck and I may place a grade 3 from among them as my heart card," Penelope continues as she begins to look at the top seven cards. Upon drawing the seventh, she frowns. "I fail."

"What!?" she hears Orlando, Kat, Lux and Isaac yell at the same time.

"I fail," Penelope repeats. "But I will win anyway."

She stares directly at Patrick.

"Artiom attacks your vanguard for 26000."

"Generation guard," Patrick discards the heal trigger in his hand. "Chainsaw Megatrick, Furnival. With its skill I look at the top three cards of my deck and add a card from among them to soul." He looks at the cards and adds Cutie Paratrooper to soul.

"Furnival gains 5000 shield. I guard with another 5000 from hand for a two to pass."

"Triple drive," Penelope starts. "First check: Anger-boil Dragon. Second check: Anger-boil Dragon. Third check: Anger-boil Dragon."

Penelope stares down at the three grade 3's in her trigger zone.

"You've got to be kidding me," she scowls.

"Something tells me this turn went completely wrong for you," Patrick says.

"I pass."

"Stand and draw," Patrick replies. "Stride: Jester Demonic Dragon, Lunatec Dragon!"

Penelope nods.

"Lunatec Dragon goes off as soon as it is placed on vanguard circle," Patrick smiles. "I flip a copy of it in my G-Zone face up to gain an ability: whenever a card is placed onto rearguard circle from soul, it gains 2000 power. Also Lunatec gains a critical."

Penelope eyes her hand.

"Cat Knight in High Boots's skill," Patrick continues. "I call it from soul to rearguard to call Cutie Paratrooper to my left. They each gain 2000 from Lunatec. Then I use Cutie Paratrooper's skill to soulcharge one… why hello, there Jacqueline… and call Darkside Princess in front of Cutie. Darkside Princess gains 7000 power."

Patrick reaches for his damage zone and flips a card facedown.

"With Harri's stride skill, I soulcharge one and call a second Cutie Paratrooper. With Cutie's skill, I soulcharge one more and call Card Dealer, Jacqueline from my soul. They each gain seven."

"Are you done yet?" Penelope crosses her arm.

"Patience," Patrick smiles. "Darkside Princess attacks your vanguard unboosted for 21000."

"No guard," Penelope says. "Draw trigger: I give the power to my vanguard and draw a card." She looks at the card she drew: her perfect guard.

"Darkside Princess moves to soul. Jacqueline attacks your vanguard for 30000 boosted. With Jacqueline's skill, I call Darkside Princess back out of soul."

"Guard," Penelope places a 10000 shield onto her guardian circle, then moves Tidal Assault to guard circle. "Intercept."

"Lunatec Dragon attacks your vanguard for 33000 boosted by Cat Knight with an extra critical."

"Guard," Penelope places the perfect guard onto guardian circle, then discards a card.

"Triple drive. One: critical trigger. I give all effects to Darkside Princess. Second check: stand trigger. I give all effects to Jacqueline. Third check: stand trigger. I stand the Cutie Paratrooper behind Jacqueline. Darkside Princess gains the power."

"You don't have another face up damage to use Jacqueline again," Penelope says.

"Do I really need to?" Patrick smiles. "You have four cards in hand, three of which are Anger-boil Dragon. So the question is: is the fourth a heal trigger?"

Patrick rests Darkside Princess and the Cutie Paratrooper behind it.

"Darkside Princess attacks your vanguard for 30000, two critical."

Penelope stares at her hand.

"I can't… I guess I'm just not her…"

Penelope picks up the top card of her deck, Tidal Assault, and puts it into her damage zone.

"It's been a pleasure," Patrick smiles. "Heir of Cardfight, we will now use your soul to fuel the dark side!"

"No!" Penelope clutches her chest and turns to the others.

Patrick walks across the room and opens a glass door to a balcony outside.

"Come, it'll be easier this way," he says.

Penelope rushes over to the others, nearly falling, clinching her chest. Isaac grabs her hands and they come face to face.

"You listen to me, Isaac," she says firmly. "Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not strong enough. You have potential. You listen to Orlando… because he needs you more than ever because you _are_ strong enough."

Penelope's feet begin to slide toward the open doorway across the room. Her grip grows weak on Isaac, but he grabs her hands tightly. As she faints, she falls to the floor and slides across the room, dragging Isaac with her. Orlando chases them as Penelope is sucked through the doorway, grabbing Isaac before he can be taken with her.

"Penelope! No!" Isaac screams, kicking his feet as Orlando tightens his grip around Isaac's waist.

Patrick dusts his hands and walks toward the other door, stopping in front of Lux and looking him in the eyes.

Patrick cocks his head to the side, turns, and walks out of the room.

 _Author's Note:_

Hello again, everyone! I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 10 of _Blind Revelations_! It has been a pleasure writing this and I absolutely love and appreciate all of the feedback I have received! Please don't hesitate to drop more reviews and PM's as this is written to help me learn to write better quality stories for you guys as I plan to be doing this for a long time. Thanks again!

I do not own the right to Bushiroad nor any of its products used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	11. A Test

**Chapter 11: A Test**

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge.**

"Mythical Hellsky Beast, Fenrir attacks your vanguard for 26000," Lux says as he rests his vanguard.

"No guard," Orlando shakes his head.

"Orlando, I wouldn't recommend that. You're at four damage."

"I know."

"Orlando, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine."

Kat walks over and stands next to the table.

"Listen," she puts her hand on Orlando's shoulder. "I know you're upset about Penelope, but you're going to have to step it up."

"I'm not upset about Penelope," Orlando scoffs. He looks up at Lux. "I said no guard."

Lux sighs, then reaches for the top card of his deck.

"Critical trigger. Critical trigger. Critical trigger."

Orlando looks down at Lux's trigger zone, with three critical triggers sitting in front of his deck.

"Well, that's game."

Orlando picks up his cards and shuffles them before putting them into his deck box. He slides the box into his bookbag and walks over to the nearest couch, flopping down next to Isaac, who is unphased.

Kat looks at Lux, who frowns as he feels around the table for his last few cards before putting them in his deck box.

"Orlando," Kat begins. "I know you're upset. We all are. But you have to think ahead, to the future. We still have a lot going on that we need to take care of, with or without Penelope."

Orlando jumps to his feet.

"I have an idea."

Kat and Lux step forward. Orlando shakes his finger in deep thought.

"Is it a _good_ idea?" Lux asks.

"Probably not," Orlando answers. "But it's worth a shot."

"We're all ears," Kat answers.

"Well, for starters," Orlando begins to pace through the room. "The Dark Zone players targeted staff, right?"  
The others nod.

"Then, they started going for the students who held higher positions throughout the university, specifically student body presidents: Drake Freeman, then Amber…"

"So why'd they go after Penelope?" Lux asks.

Kat's eyes light up.

"I think I have an idea," she says. "Think about it. The presidents: they were considered leaders around campus. Leaders, because they were strong. They could fight… do you think the Dark Zone is trying to break the spirits of students around campus by getting rid of the strongest first?"

"I think that's a good theory," Lux speaks. "Although I feel it's a lot deeper than that. They don't want to just break their spirits; they want them to give in to the Dark Zone."

"A person's dark side is his strongest side," Isaac interrupts. He stands from his seat and approaches the other three. "That's what they've been telling me."

"Who?" Kat asks.

"The voices," Isaac looks down. "Lux can tell you. He heard them, too."

Kat and Orlando look at Lux.

"It's true," Lux says. "They feel that a person's dark side is stronger. And that everyone should play Dark Zone to get in touch with it."

"Well, like I've said before," Orlando shakes his head. "I didn't get my deck to be full SP's just to abandon it to play Dark Zone."

"So, what's your idea, then?" Kat asks.

"I'm glad you asked," Orlando smiles. "I think I have an idea where they may be headed next. They invaded the Dragon Empire, the Zoo Nation, and now Magallanica."

"There are only two other nations left," Lux mumbles.

"Exactly," Orlando nods. "And I have an idea where they're going next."

Orlando walks across the room and picks a poster off the wall. He hands it to Kat and she reads:

"Stargate Student Body President Zed Boone to speak on behalf of Cardfight University tonight at Harmonics Performing Arts Center at 6:30."

"He plans on speaking on behalf of the administration that fell under the spell," Orlando nods. "I got an automated email about it last night. He's one of very few trying to find a reversal for the spell. If we can find him before the Dark Zone does, we can get his help and we can stop them in the process."

"And possibly even get back Penelope?" Isaac pipes up.

Orlando shrugs.

"We won't know unless we try, right?" he asks.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Adrian walks up to the door labeled "Patrick King" and abruptly turns the knob and pushes the door open to find Patrick standing in front of a wardrobe holding two different robes.

Patrick turns slowly and smiles out of the side of his mouth before holding up the robes.

"Which should I wear in our next outing?" Patrick asks. "I was thinking the purple one, but I thought red might have just enough flash to catch everyone's eye."

"Patrick, I need to talk to you."

"I know. And I need to you as well. You have a-" he pauses and eyes Adrian for a second. "-somewhat decent taste in fashion. Which do you think?"

"Put the robes down. This is serious."

Patrick rolls his eyes and hangs up the robes.

"What do you want?" he asks.

"What makes you think we're going to win this?" Adrian crosses his arms. "I mean, yeah, you beat Penelope Blake, but in all honesty, how strong of a fighter is she in the first place?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Patrick smirks as he walks over to the desk. "Didn't Penelope Blake beat _you_ recently?"

"She got lucky."

"Ah," Patrick puts his hand to his chin. "That's what they call it now. Then perhaps it is by luck that the boss put this spell over campus, and by luck we've collected as many souls as we did."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know it's not," Patrick replies. "What you don't understand, however, is that you get out of this what you put in. If you choose to give up easily, you won't receive the same benefits and thrill from it than those of us who persevere."

"You know, that was an inspirational quote for a villain," Adrian shakes his head.

"Who says that only the righteous have a cause?" Patrick stands and flicks a card at Adrian before brushing his way out the door.

Adrian looks down at the card: Amon's Eye, Agares. He shakes his head and turns to find Patrick gone.

"Patrick?" he calls, but with no answer.

Shaking his head once more, Adrian begins to make his way back down the hallway toward the staircase. He descends, and once he reaches the bottom, he notices a familiar figure walking out the doorway outside. He chases the figure and meets her just outside the building.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Adrian asks.

The girl turns and looks at Adrian, smiling. She blinks her eyes, one blue and one red.

"I'm just going for a walk," she says. "Why so worried?"

"I'm not worried," Adrian looks at her crossly. "I just didn't think Patrick wanted us leaving the building right now."

"Don't worry about me," she responds. "Besides, can you even remember my name? Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget."

She crosses her eyebrows.

"Okay, I forgot."

"It's Tori," she answers. "And before you ask, yes, I know yours, Adrian. Now run along. You're starting to annoy me."

Adrian scoffs, then walks back toward the door. He turns back at Tori, who has her hand on her hip, watching him re-enter the building, then she walks away.

 **Hours later. Zoo Nation Study Lounge.**

Isaac and Dorothy sit in the barely lit room, each holding cards with pairs on the table in front of them. Lux watches from the side.

"Got any grade 3's?" Dorothy asks.

Isaac looks up with a smile, then double takes at Lux, who puts his face in his palm.

"You know," Isaac spats toward Lux. "This isn't any more fun when I say you _can't_ play either." He slams Dragonic Blademaster onto the table.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have such a close bond with your avatar," Lux says. "It's not like I can actually _see_ the cards in your hand."

"Says the man who has a bond with every single card in his deck," Isaac shakes his head.

"Well, that's not losing me a game of Go Fish now, is it?" Lux snickers.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" Isaac asks.

"I'm just saying, you might win a little more if you'd actually play Vanguard the way it was meant to be played," Lux answers.

Isaac remains silent.

"You're still afraid, aren't you?" Lux leans forward.

"It's the voices, Lux," Isaac frowns. "They keep scaring me. Telling me to be stronger. I can't risk it."

"You heard them too?" Dorothy pipes up.

"What do you mean 'too'?" Lux asks.

"I heard these voices," Dorothy answers. "Telling me I wasn't strong enough. They talked to me every day and night, when I was awake, but especially in my sleep…"

"Exactly!" Isaac exclaims. "And I'll bet it told you to turn to your dark side, didn't it?"

Dorothy nods.

"So, what did you do?" Isaac whispers.

"I couldn't take the voices anymore," Dorothy answers. "Besides, they were right. I wasn't strong enough… until I learned to stop avoiding them and listen."

"So you joined the dark side?" Isaac asks.

Dorothy nods.

"I mean, they weren't exactly wrong. I do feel stronger now," she replies.

Isaac sits in deep thought.

"Isaac, I know what you're thinking," Lux shakes his head. "Joining them is not worth it. We can find another way to get rid of the voices. Trust me."

"Good luck," Dorothy stands from her seat. "I wouldn't trust some random students over a giant spell taking over the university, even if you do have the national champion on your side."

Dorothy saunters over to the door and opens it.

"Don't worry, guys," Dorothy says. "I don't actually plan on joining their whole cause. I just wanted to feel stronger. And I do. So your secret hideout is safe with me, although I would like to come back and play Go Fish again, Isaac."

"You're welcome back as long as you don't tell anyone," Lux says. "Otherwise, we'll have to move."

Dorothy smiles and walks from the doorway.

"Do you trust her?" Isaac asks once the door closes.

"She has a very genuine vibe," Lux nods. "She seems to be speaking the truth. Besides, maybe everyone isn't what they seem to be when we first meet them, hmm?"

Isaac looks down.

"I'd like to see you pick up your deck again soon," Lux says. "I know you are afraid, but I don't think you have much reason to be. The only way for you to feel like a stronger fighter is to re-establish your confidence in yourself. And that's by playing again."

"You think so?"

Lux nods.

"Besides," Lux continues. "We need all the help we can get."

 **Harmonics Performing Arts Center.**

"We're a bit early, don't you think?" Kat looks around at the dark and empty hallways of the backstage area of the building. A few rooms are dimly lit as crews are setting up for the speech.

"I wanted to make sure we got here before anything suspicious could happen," Orlando states.

"We're over an hour early," Kat answers.

"You didn't seem to have a problem with sneaking into the Dark Zone building that day," Orlando smiles.

"To be fair, I have far more stealth than you do," Kat shakes her head.

"I have stealth," Orlando turns to face Kat, then walks into a gong next to the wall, causing it to sound a loud echoing through the halls.

Crewmen from several different rooms poke their heads from the doorways and stare at Orlando as he scrambles to silence the gong.

"Yeah," Kat walks past him. " _Stealth_. You're lucky we're students and you have free access to this building."

The two continue to walk until they approach a larger hallway, with wires spread all over the ground and crewmen carrying chairs down toward the stage area. Kat looks above them to spy a girl standing on a balcony, staring down at the two of them.

The girl is wearing all black, with long black hair flowing down over her shoulders. As Kat looks closer, she can barely pick out that the girl's right eye has an illuminous red glowing from it.

"Hey," Kat whispers as she nudges Orlando. "You know that girl?"

Orlando looks up at the girl still staring at the two of them and shakes his head.

"No, I can't say I do."

"I thought you knew everyone that worked here," Kat answers. "You did volunteer here last semester."

"That I did," Orlando mutters. "And took two semesters of theatre before that. But that chick? I've never seen her before in my life."

"So, what are you saying?"

"I say we go talk to her."  
Just then, the girl breaks into a sprint across the balcony. Orlando motions to Kat and they sprint to the closest stairway and up toward the balcony. They run through a doorway upstairs and Kat catches a glimpse of the girl out of the corner of her eye, running around a corner.

"That way!" Kat points toward the corner.

The two run across the balcony and around the corner to see the girl run into a room.

"That's the rehearsal area," Orlando pants. "She must be looking for Zed!"

Orlando and Kat run into the room after the girl to find it empty, save for a few microphones and speakers, and one playing table in the middle of the room. They walk farther into the room to inspect for clues, when the door slams behind them. They turn to find the girl standing behind the door.

"It's just you two?" the girl asks.

"What do you mean?" Orlando asks.

"You guys didn't bring company, did you?" she responds.

Orlando and Kat shake their heads.

"Good," the girl answers as she locks the door. "Then this should go just smoothly."

She points at Orlando, then at the table. Then she walks to the other side of the table and pulls out a deck box.

"The name's Tori," the girl begins to shuffle her deck. "I'd give you my last name, but the less information you two know about me, the better." She grins as she looks at Kat, who is eyeing her suspiciously.

"Go ahead, take a seat," Tori says to Kat. "This will all be over soon."

"Listen," Kat shakes her head. "I'm here to find someone, so we really need to-"

"I know you're looking for Zed Boone," Tori answers. "He won't be here for another hour. I've been keeping tabs on him for the last several days."

"Who are you?" Orlando lashes out.

"I told you, my name is Tori. And today is the day you will determine your destiny, Orlando Wyatt."

"Stand up, Vanguard!" the two yell.

"Neon Messiah Aurion!"

"Silver Thorn Beast Tamer, Emile!"

"No!" Kat whispers to herself. "She plays Pale Moon!"

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge.**

Isaac picks up his deck box and begins to scroll through the cards. He stops at a copy of Dragonic Blademaster and stops as his eyes begin to water.

"Wanna play?" Lux asks.

"You're not allowed to play Go Fish," Isaac continues to stare down at the card.

"I didn't want to play Go Fish," Lux shuffles in his seat.

Isaac hears a zipping sound as Lux scuffles for his bookbag and pulls out a deck box. Lux holds up the deck box before asking again:

"Wanna play a _real_ game?"

Isaac shakes his head, then puts his deck back in its box. He looks at Lux, who is still waiting for an answer.

"I can't," Isaac says. "Not while I still have all of this on my mind."

Lux sighs.

"I understand," Lux answers. "You know I'm here if you ever change your mind."

"I know."

The door opens, and the two look up to see a broad shouldered male standing in the doorway. With his chest leading him boldly, he struts over toward Lux and Isaac before stopping between them.

"Is either of you two Orlando Wyatt?" he asks.

"No," Lux answers. "Why?"

"Some chick with heterochromia told me to come here and find him," he answers.

"And you are?" Isaac asks.

"Zed Boone," the guy answers. "Stargate Student Body President."

"But if you're here…" Lux says. "Then, where is Orlando?"

"I guess he's with that chick," Zed answers. "Whatever she wanted him for, it was extremely urgent."

"Heterochromia…" Lux mumbles to himself.

"What does that word mean?" Isaac asks.

"It means her eyes are two different colors," Lux answers. "Who do I know with that?"

Lux stands silently for a moment, then collapses, jolting on the floor as he rolls around grabbing at the legs of nearby chairs. Isaac and Zed immediately throw up their arms in a panic.

"Get the nurses!" Zed yells. "Who am I kidding? I know a few nursing students! I'll get one over here at once!"

Isaac looks down at Lux, who is now clutching his own head in pain. His pale blue eyes bulge out as they water up. He reaches upward and Isaac grabs his hand.

"Wait!" Isaac tenses as Lux squeezes on his hand. "He's having a revelation!"

"A what?" Zed removes his phone from his ear.

"A revelation," Isaac answers. "He's psychic."

"So he sees things?" Zed ends the phone call.

"Well, technically he can't see _anything_ ," Isaac says. "But he feels them, hears them. He can't see, yet he sees more than all of us combined."

"That's strange."

Isaac nods, then looks back down at Lux, whose grip slowly begins to decrease as he slips back out of his revelation.

"Lux?" Isaac asks.

Lux takes another minute or so to pull himself out of his revelation before grabbing Isaac tightly by the shirt.

"I felt him," Lux says.

"Felt who?"

"Their boss…" Lux replies. "I felt his presence. It was all too familiar."

"Where?"

"I don't know…" Lux says.

Isaac looks up to Zed and the two look around, but see nothing out of the ordinary.

"What was it like?" Zed asks.

"Dark, evil, chaotic…" Lux grabs Isaac tightly.

Isaac holds Lux tighter and hugs him.

"We'll be okay, won't we?" Isaac asks.

"I hope," Lux replies.

 **Harmonics Performing Arts Center. Upstairs.**

"Upright Lion attacks your vanguard boosted for 52000!" Tori yells.

Orlando looks at his damage zone, currently holding four cards, then at his vanguard: Alter Ego Neo Messiah.

"Generation guard," Orlando discards a heal trigger from his hand. "Darkness that Lights Up Demise, Lacus Carina! With its skill, I lock my Dark Metal Chameleon in my back row, then I lock my front row Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf and Arrester Messiah. Since I locked three, you choose three of your rearguards in the back row and lock them."

Tori locks all three cards in her back row.

"Upright Lion loses its boost. It is now attacking for 45000."

"Since cards were locked, I trigger both Sacrifice Messiahs in my back row to countercharge two and give my vanguard 6000 power. I guard with Blink Messiah and a 5000 shield to guard for 47000," Orlando looks down at the field.

"Silver Thorn Dragon Master, Mystique Luquier attacks your vanguard!" Tori rests her stride.

"Perfect guard!" Orlando lays Prayer Child of Steady State Cosmo onto the guard circle.

"Drive check," Tori begins. "Heal trigger!" She picks up a card from her damage and heals it, putting herself down to three, then looks at the locked card on her front left rearguard circle.

"I give all effects to Upright Lion!" she says. "Second check: perfect guard. Third check: stand trigger! I give all effects to Upright Lion and stand it!"

Orlando scoffs in disbelief.

"Upright Lion attacks your vanguard for 55000!"

"Generation guard again," Orlando says. "Genesis Beast, Destiny Guardian. I unlock both cards in my front row to gain 10000 shield. Then I'll guard with a 10000 shield from my hand and intercept with Arrester Messiah."

"Smart," Tori grins. "You intercepted with it because you could no longer use its skill."

"Why are you complimenting me?" Orlando asks.

"Why shouldn't I?" Tori answers. "I pass my turn."

Tori reaches down and unlocks her field, except the front row rearguard.

"This was omega locked with Flageolet last turn," she speaks up.

"Glad you remembered," Orlando says as he stands his field and draws. "Most people would forget."

"I stride," Orlando picks up his G-Zone. "Genesis Dragon, Harmonics Neo Messiah! With my on-stride skill, I call Lady Fencer of Matter Transmission where Arrester Messiah was. Then, I lock Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf to lock your Upright Lion."

Tori flips Upright Lion face down.

"Cards in hand?" Orlando asks.

"Eleven."

Orlando sighs.

"Lady Fencer attacks your vanguard," he continues. "With its on attack skill, I give it +5000 power to attack for 16000."

"Guard," Tori places the stand trigger onto guardian circle.

"Lady Fencer locks itself," Orlando flips the card face down. "Harmonics Neo Messiah attacks your vanguard. I flip Amnesty Messiah in my G-Zone face up to unlock all locked cards. Each of mine unlocked gains 5000 power, and since I unlocked five on my side and two on yours, for a total of seven, Harmonics Neo gains 35000 power and cannot be guarded with grade 1 or greater from hand."

"No guard."

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give the power effects to Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf and the critical to my vanguard. Second: heal trigger! I give the power to the same rearguard and heal a damage. Third check: draw trigger! I give Lady Battler another 5000 for a total of 15000 power from triggers," Orlando smiles. "Let's see if I can break through that hand now."

"We'll see," Tori smirks. "Damage check: no trigger. Second: critical trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Lady Fencer attacks your vanguard," Orlando rests Lady Fencer along with Sacrifice Messiah. "With a boost from Sacrifice, and Lady Fencer's skill, the attack is for 33000!"

"Guard," Tori places two 10000 shields onto guardian circle.

"Ugh," Orlando rolls his eyes. "Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I lock Dark Metal Chameleon behind my vanguard to gain 5000 power. The Sacrifice Messiah behind Lady Fencer triggers, giving Lady Battler an additional 3000 power and countercharging one. Lady Battler attacks for 49000!"

"Perfect guard," Tori smiles as she holds up her hand of six cards. "You got halfway. I guess that could say something for your ace stride, huh?"

Orlando exhales sharply.

"I pass," Orlando sighs.

"Good," Tori says as she drops her hand onto the table. "I concede."

"What?" Orlando and Kat both yell at the same time. They lean forward across the table and eye the cards in Tori's hand.

"You could do so much with that hand!" Orlando exclaims.

"...especially because he just unlocked your units!" Kat continues.

"I know," Tori smiles.

"Then why aren't you going to try and take my soul?" Orlando asks.

Tori stops.

"Is that why you thought I was here?" Tori asks.

Orlando and Kat look at each other, then at Tori.

"Well, I mean, you play Dark Zone…" Orlando says.

"Maybe there's more to people you meet than meets the eye," Tori waves her finger. "Everyone isn't who you think they are. I was sent here to give you this, but I was told to make sure you earned it first, and you did."

Tori hands Orlando a letter.

"Don't open it until you're in a secure location," Tori walks toward the door.

"I still don't get it," Orlando slouches in his standing position. "You still could've beaten me. Why didn't you?"

Tori rolls her eyes.

"Because," she answers. "Sometimes there are things more important than _winning_. Hmm? Now if you'll excuse me, I must be going. I've spent too much time here already."

 **Zoo Nation Study Lounge. The next morning.**

"Are you sure this is what she meant by 'secure location'?" Kat asks as Orlando pulls out the letter.

"This is as secure as it'll get for us for now," Orlando looks over at Kat, Isaac, and Lux. "Besides, when it's just us four, what could go wrong?"

He opens the letter and reads it aloud to the others:

"Hold fast. Things are about to change for the better at Cardfight University.

-Lex."

"Who sent you that?" Isaac asks.

"I'm not sure," Orlando shakes his head. "Do any of you know a 'Lex'?"

Lux and Kat shake their heads. Isaac's hand shoots up.

"I have a cousin named Lex," he says. "We go way back. Maybe it's him."

"Oh!" Kat jumps. "I'll bet its an old administrator at the school. Let me go pull the records."

"Sounds great," Orlando says. "Whoever it is, I'm sure we can find them by looking at those records. Either way, if this letter is true, we might have another recruit."

"Well, that's good," Isaac mumbles. "We're going to need it after Zed's mishap at his speech."

"Did he get kidnapped by the Dark Zone, too?" Kat asks.

"Worse," Orlando answers. "One of the stage managers set up a light wrong and it fell on his head. He had to go to the hospital to get himself checked out and hasn't been back since."

"Wait," Kat stops. "How'd he get off campus?"

The whole room freezes for a moment.

"That's a really good question…" Orlando scratches his head. "How _did_ he…?"

"I thought the spell was keeping everyone in," Isaac mumbles.

"Could the letter be right?" Orlando picks the letter up again. "Is it already weakening its hold on campus?"

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

"Patrick!" Markus yells as he runs down the hallway toward Patrick's office. He pounds on the door for a minute before Patrick opens it abruptly.

"What is it, Markus?"

"Somethin's gone wrong in the other room! You gotta see this!" Markus grabs Patrick's arm and leads him into a big room.

In the middle of the room sits a big contraption, connecting to the unconscious bodies of those who had been captured, who lay on stretchers. The contraption is shooting an electric spark out of the side. Patrick runs toward the machine and pulls up a picture on the screen.

"Impossible," Patrick mutters. "It's shorted."

"How does it do that?" Markus walks up behind him.

"This machine…" Patrick turns to the rest of the room. "It feeds off the wills of those it has captured, feasting off their souls and their wills to play."

"So, that's why the boss chose this school, huh?" Markus asks.

"Precisely," Patrick points. "Everyone here have not only proven their will to play, but a certain strength that is required to even be accepted. That's why this is the most prestigious of the nation."

"Even the bad players?" Markus asks.

"Every once in a while, a couple slip through the cracks," Patrick walks around to the unconscious, followed by Markus. He stops at the head of Penelope's bed and runs his fingers through her hair. "But someone with no will whatsoever? What kind of sad, sad soul at Cardfight University has no will to play Cardfight Vanguard?"

 _Author's Note/Special Announcement to Readers:_

Hello, everyone and thank you for reading! I apologize for the delay on Chapter 11; I've been practicing for Springfest with my group of teammates - lol. Speaking of which, I will be at Springfest Atlanta this Saturday, March 10 along with my teammates wearing a "Team Quest" bag. I'd love to see the faces of my fans!

Thanks again!

I do not own Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J.J. Wayne


	12. (Not So) Lucid Dreams

**Chapter 12: (Not So) Lucid Dreams**

 **Nyx Residence Hall. Night.**

Lux swipes his student ID as the door clicks to unlock to his empty dorm room. He drags his feet slowly behind his walking stick, waving in front of him as he knocks away an empty box in the floor. He lets out a groan as he continues toward his bed, setting the stick beside the bed and climbing in. He feels a buzz from his pocket and pulls out his phone and pressing the "Answer" key.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," he hears Orlando on the other end. "You make it back okay?"

"Yeah, just made it to the room."

"Okay," Orlando says. "I was just checking. I don't like the idea of all of us splitting up like this, but after you and Isaac told me about that Dorothy chick coming to the study lounge, I thought it'd be best if we didn't take any chances. It's harder for them to find us this way."

Lux smiles.

"I agree," he answers. "Besides, I can finally get some sleep now hopefully."

"Me too. Kat says she's worried about Isaac, though. What do you think?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Maybe it'd be best if you called him. I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"All right," Orlando says. "Just let me know you're all right in the morning. I still want to meet up and try to find a new practice area."

"Will do."

Lux hangs up and rests his head against his pillow before drifting off to sleep.

 **Later that night. Lux's dream.**

"In all this madness," Lux hears. "One would think to go to his safe haven, a place where he can find rest, a place where he can shut out all forms of chaotic manner, but even then he lie still in darkness."

"Who are you?" Lux calls into the darkness. He moves his stick around as he walks slowly forward. The eerie feeling surrounding him sends a shiver down his spine.

"Who do you think I am?" he hears the voice again.

"I think you're the one responsible for all of this going on over campus."

"You think correctly."

"What do you want?"

"I want you all to embrace your stronger self. I want everyone to feel stronger, embrace your dark side..."

"I'm not joining your cause," Lux mutters.

"That's what you all say now."

Lux's stick lets out a small thump as it bumps into an object in front of him. He walks slowly toward the object with his other hand outstretched until he feels a flat surface in front of him, just above waist level.

"A table?" he asks.

"Very observant of you," he hears. "I know you don't intend to join my cause, and that's all right because at the end of this, you won't have a choice."

"This is just a dream," Lux mumbles.

"That it is, but a lucid dream is just a dream where one is aware of his unconscious state, am I wrong? But here-here you are fully aware of yourself."

"I don't understand..."

"Lux Tomlin, avatar of Mythic Beast, Fenrir: I challenge you to a fight!" Lux hears the voice yell. "You will embrace your dark side, by my own accord!"

"But I'm asleep..." Lux whispers. "I don't even have my-"

Lux feels a deck box form in his empty hand. He props his stick against the table and reaches inside. He squints his eyebrows as he feels the vibes coming from the cards inside.

"How did you-?"

"Never question me," he hears. "The less you know of me, the better."

Lux steps back from the table, then feels a strange presence grow over him, a presence that urges him to fight the stranger.

"Prove to me your worth," he hears. "Your value as a being. As for me, I have established my presence over your world and have proven myself superior."

"To whom?" Lux asks.

"That is the question," the voice booms. "Now, I say again, I challenge you-for your soul!"

"You challenge me in my own dream?" Lux asks. "I don't think so."

"Aye," the voice answers. "You can try to wake up, but I have captured you in your slumber. You will remain unconscious until you fight me."

"And if I don't?"

"You will never wake again."

Lux slumps for a second.

"How can you do that? How did you do that?" he asks.

"I have told you once not to question me," he hears. "My powers are much greater than yours. I have a much more restraining hold over these students than you realize, Lux. And now, I've come to take your soul."

Lux turns away from the table and begins to think.

 _Orlando needs me,_ he thinks to himself. _If the only way I can get out of this is by playing against this guy, I'll just have to beat him at his own game. Besides, the more I can find out during this fight, the better._

"You are a smart young man," the voice booms again. "It's too bad I'll have to waste you away for the greater evil."

Lux scoffs.

"All right," Lux calls out. "I accept your challenge!"

"Goooood," the voice echoes around him.

Lux pulls the deck out of his box slowly, then hesitates as he sets it on the table in front of him.

 **Infinite Dormitories.**

Isaac, still wearing his favorite pajamas, bolts toward the door of the outside of the building and tries to open it to find it locked. He grabs his student ID and swipes it on the outside scanner, to hear three beeps and see the light flash red.

"Oh come on..." he mumbles. He swipes again, but to the same result.

Groaning, he pulls out his phone and calls Orlando before putting it to his ear.

"Come on... come on..." Isaac mumbles.

He hears a noise on the other end, then a tired "Helloooo?"

"Orlando! Is that you?" Isaac asks.

"No, it's Elvis..." he hears. He stares at his phone intently before hearing. "...yes it's Orlando! It's three in the morning. What do you want?"

"I need you to let me in!"

"Why?"

"It's important!"

"Can it wait till the morning?"

"No!" Isaac jumps up and down. "We have to hurry! NOW! It's about something I heard while I was asleep!"

He hears a thud, then hears Orlando call out:

"I'm on my way! Call Kat and tell her to meet us!"

 **Lux's dream.**

"Stand up, Vanguard!" Lux yells. "Fetter Creator, Van!"

"Deranged Singular."

"I ride," Lux calls. "Shackle Fetter, Gelgja. Then I pass."

"Ride," the voice mutters back. "Wertiger Jaegar."

Deranged Singular slides to the circle behind the vanguard and the two rest.

"Weretiger Jaegar attacks your vanguard for 12000."

"No guard," Lux replies.

The top card of Lux's opponent's deck flips over in front of itself to reveal One-eyed Succubus.

"Drive check: critical trigger."

Lux feels a small pain in his chest. He clutches it for a few seconds before reaching for his deck and taking two damage.

"The turn passes to you," the voice declares. "Two to zero."

Lux touches his damage zone to feel both cards are Mythic Beast, Fenrir. He puts his hand to his forehead and wipes away his sweat before drawing a card.

"I ride," he starts. "Boulder Fetter, Gjoll. Call: Battle Maiden, Kotonoha. Revelation."

Lux touches the top card of his deck, then puts it into his soul.

"I rest Van. Gjoll attacks your vanguard for 9000."

"Guard," the voice says. One-eyed Succubus falls into the guardian circle.

"No pass," Lux mumbles to himself. He flips over the top card of his deck. "No trigger... Kotonoha attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"No guard," the top card of his opponent's deck hovers above the field before flipping itself face up to reveal Demonted Executioner and falling into the damage zone. "The damage is now two to one."

"I pass," Lux says.

The units on Lux's opponent's board stand themselves and a card moves to his hand.

"It's a shame you cannot see these red eyes, burning a hole deep within you and staring directly into your soul," Lux hears.

"I can feel it," Lux reaches for his chest again. "What do you see?"

The opponent pauses, then finally gives an answer.

"You of all people should know that what one sees is not of utmost importance. I ride: Covetous Succubus. Then I call a Demonted Executioner to my left."

The top seven cards of Lux's opponent's deck float above the table, backside facing Lux, and Succubus of Avarice falls to the table from among them, sliding under the vanguard and into the soul. The rest place themselves on top of the deck and the deck shuffles itself.

"Covetous Succubus attacks your vanguard for 14000."

"No guard," Lux says.

"Drive check," the top card of the other deck flips face up in front of it. "No trigger."

"Damage check," Lux responds. "No trigger."

"Demonted Executioner attacks your vanguard."

"Guard," Lux pulls a critical trigger from his hand and places it onto the guardian circle.

"I pass the turn to you," Lux hears. "Three to one."

"Stand and draw..." Lux begins. He runs his fingers through the cards in his hand and sighs.

"Gjoll attacks your vanguard."

There is a moment of silence before his opponent speaks.

"No guard."

"Drive check," Lux says. He flips over the top card of his deck to reveal Mythic Beast, Fenrir. "No trigger." He smiles as he adds his avatar to his hand.

"Damage check: no trigger."

"Kotonoha attacks your vanguard for 9000."

"Intercept with Demonted Executioner."

"I pass."

"Three to two," Lux hears as the units on the other side of the field stand. "Not riding to grade 3 last turn... you had better hope that's not your fatal mistake."

Lux wipes his sweat again.

"I ride: One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot!"

"Scharhrot..." Lux leans forward and moves his hand over his opponent's vanguard. "What is this I'm feeling?"

He feels a tingling in his hand as he pulls his hand back away from the opponent's field.

"I call Demonted Executioner again." Seven cards from the top of the opponent's deck float above the field again and a copy of One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot falls from among them and slides into the soul.

"Scharhrot attacks your vanguard for 16000."

"No guard," Lux answers.

"Drive check," he hears as the top two cards of his opponent's deck flip. "Critical trigger. Scharhrot will gain a critical and the power will go to Demonted. Second check: no trigger."

Lux clutches his chest as he reaches for the top card of his deck.

"Damage check," Lux begins. "No trigger... critical trigger. I give the power to my vanguard."

"Demonted Executioner attacks Kotonoha for 14000."

Lux feels the cards in his hand, then reaches toward Kotonoha and moves the rearguard to his drop zone.

"Five to two," the voice booms. "Your move."

"Stand and draw," Lux starts his turn. "I ride my avatar: Mythic Beast, Fenrir! Then, I drop Mythic Beast, Skoll to stride... Beast-Slater Military Deity, Tyr!"

Lux touches his damage zone, then his deck.

"With Fenrir's skill, I soulcharge three. Then I call Gjoll to my left hand rearguard circle and counterblast one to give it 4000 power. Revelation." Lux reaches for the top card of his deck and feels it for a moment before moving it to his soul. "I rest Van."

Lux rests Van before reaching for his vanguard circle and moving three cards from his soul to his drop zone.

"Then, I'll use the Gelgja in my soul to give Gjoll 6000 power and soulcharge two. With Tyr's skill I soulblast three," he picks up the top card of his deck and feels it for a second before moving it to the bottom. "Whenever I drive check a grade 1 or greater card, I may soulcharge three. Tyr attacks your vanguard for 26000."

"No guard," Lux hears.

"Drive check: critical trigger. I give the power to Gjoll and the critical to Tyr. Second check: no trigger. With Tyr's skill, I soulcharge three. Then, I'll activate Van's skill. By throwing Van into soul, I draw a card." Lux feels of the card he draws and winces as he places it into his hand. "Third check: heal trigger. I give the power to Gjoll and heal a damage."

"Damage check: no trigger... no trigger." I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Gjoll attacks your vanguard for 29000," Lux rests his rearguard. "With its skill, I soulblast three and draw a card." Lux feels the card he draws and smiles when he finds a perfect guard.

"Generation guard," his opponent says. "Agrat-bat Mahlat. My guardian soulcharges two and gains 5000 shield."

"I pass."

"The game is tied at four," Lux's opponent says. "Your comeback shows your will, your desire to succeed." He laughs for a second. "But mine is _greater_. Stand and draw."

Lux sighs as he feels of the cards in his hand.

"I stride," his opponent begins. "Abominable One, Gilles de Rais!"

Lux freezes in place as his opponent's G Zone floats over the field and Gilles de Rais moves from the middle of them to the vanguard circle.

"You're not the only one with a connection to your cards," Lux's opponent laughs. "And you will soon learn that mine is stronger. With Deranged Singular's skill, I shove it into soul and draw two cards. Then, with Scharhrot's skill, I soulcharge two and retire Gjoll."

Lux slowly picks up Gjoll and moves it to the drop zone.

"Let's see if you can outlast this turn," Lux's opponent says slyly.

 **Just outside Nyx Residence Hall.**

Orlando, Isaac, and Kat stand outside the door. Kat shivers as Isaac and Orlando try and jolt the door open to the building.

"It's not going to budge," Kat says as she begins to look around.

Orlando snatches at the door again, to no avail.

"Well, I haven't seen _you_ come up with any ideas!" he yells.

"If you'd just sit back and analyze the situation, maybe we could come up with one together," Kat shakes her head. "You need to remain calm."

"I can't remain calm!" Orlando jerks at the door again, and it still remains intact.

Kat sighs, then motions to Isaac.

"Isaac," Kat says calmly. "Tell me exactly what you heard while you were asleep."

"It was the voice," Isaac trembles. "The same one I've been hearing before."

"The one that kept inviting you to the dark side?"

Isaac nods.

"What did it say this time?" Kat asks.

"He was challenging Lux to a fight," Isaac answers.

"And you're sure of that?" Kat asks. "Lux is asleep, too, is he not?"

"I would assume," Orlando turns. "That's what he told me he was going to do when he got off the phone with me."

"That's the thing," Isaac mumbles. "He challenged Lux _in his sleep_. He said Lux would never wake up until they fight."

"He trapped Lux in his sleep?" Orlando asks.

Isaac nods.

"I could hear it all," he whispers.

"So he intends on taking Lux's soul in his sleep to stop him from helping us," Kat puts her hand to her chin. "He must know about Lux's revelations, and wants to keep him from giving us the edge on him."

Orlando groans, then rushes back to the door and begins to try and pull it open again.

"Keep it up, and you're going to set off an alarm," Kat rolls her eyes. She looks around once more and notices a janitor's closet over to her right. She approaches the door to find a normal keyhole in the knob.

"Isaac, you mind helping me with this?" she asks.

Isaac walks over and eyes the door.

"I don't have a key," he answers.

"I don't need a key," Kat shakes her head. "I need you to hold the knob like this."

Kat demonstrates to Isaac how to hold the knob. He puts his hand on it and imitates as she pulls out a small card from her back pocket.

"What are you doing?" Orlando asks as he turns to face them.

"Progress," Kat answers. "More than you've done in the last five minutes."

"I'm pretty sure this is breaking and entering," Orlando walks over to stop them.

"Well, at least this way we're _entering_ ," Kat scolds him. She slides the card between the door and the frame and jiggles it until the door pops. Isaac pulls on the knob and the door opens. "Now, let's head upstairs."

"Wait," Orlando asks. "How are we going to get into his room?"

Kat turns around and stares at Orlando for a second before holding up the card.

"This is why _I'm_ the brain of the two of us," she says.

"Good idea," Orlando points at the card. "We make a perfect team."

Kat rolls her eyes and the three run out into the hallway of the building.

 **Lux's dream.**

"Twelve in soul," Lux's opponent's voice booms. "Finally, I place this Glanzend Vampir on my right side. How do you fare, Lux? You see that it is becoming hopeless for you to try and oppose me." Five cards rise from the top of his deck and three of them move into the soul, while the other two move to the bottom.

"Joke's on you," Lux scoffs. "I can't see _anything_."

"Good," his opponent says. "Then maybe you won't see _this_ coming."

A copy of Abominable One, Gilles de Rais flips itself face up in the opponent's G Zone, then the vanguard rests.

"Abominable One, Gilles de Rais attacks you for 36000... two critical," the voice grows more eerie than before. "And you cannot guard with grade 1 or greater from hand. Lux, it's time to admit defeat. It's time... to embrace your inner darkness."

"I refuse!" Lux yells. "Generation guard! Goddess of Seven Colors, Iris... with her skill, I choose three cards from my drop zone and add them to my soul. Since I did, she gains 5000 shield. Now, I guard with this critical trigger..."

"Is that all you can guard for?" his opponent asks.

Lux groans.

"And Dreaming Dragon guards me, that makes it a three to pass."

"First drive: heal trigger," Lux hears as the top card of his opponent's deck flips over and there's a slight pause.

"I give all effects to my vanguard!" the voice yells as a card in the opponent's damage moves over to the drop zone.

Lux winces, then scratches his head in concern.

 _What kind of player is this?_ He thinks to himself. _It would be much more plausible to give the power to his rearguard..._

"What is order without chaos?" his opponent rants. "How does one classify light and dark? Order and chaos? Good and evil? The world will never know, for it shall fall to the chaos of my darkness."

"What are you trying to say?" Lux asks.

"I can't be questioned!" his opponent yells. "I won't be questioned! Second check: critical trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard again! Bow to my chaos, you inferior creature!"

"You're mad!" Lux exclaims.

"Nay, mad?" his opponent responds. "Maybe by your standards, but by mine, I am the enlightened one, you see? Enlightened in darkness."

The third card flips over from the top of his opponent's deck to reveal one more copy of One-eyed Succubus.

"Impossible..." Lux mumbles.

"Another critical trigger!" his opponent yells. "Dare you question me, Lux Tomlin? I have proven myself superior, and now I have earned your _soul_!"

Lux clutches his chest as he reaches for the top card of his deck.

"No trigger... no trigger..." he continues to flip cards from the top of his deck, adding more and more cards to his damage. "No trigger... no trigger... no trigger!" He screams out at the top of his lungs.

"Who are you!?" Lux yells.

"Fall before your superior," his opponent laughs. "And embrace your inner dark side. For you have lost to the great and powerful Umbra!"

"Umbra?" Lux mumbles. His hand clutches his chest even tighter as he mumbles the name. He falls to the ground, clutching his head in excruciating pain.

 **Lux's Dorm Room.**

The door pops open and Orlando, Kat, and Isaac rush into the room to find Lux mumbling in his sleep.

"What's he saying?" Isaac asks.

"I'm not sure," Kat answers as the three rush over to find him, squinting his face as if in pain.

"Do you think he's okay?" Orlando asks Kat.

"Considering the circumstances, I'd say no," Kat replies. "I think we need to find a way to wake him up without disturbing him too much. The last thing we need is for him to undergo too much stress and we lose him."

"What are you suggesting?" Orlando asks.

"I'm not sure," Kat shakes her head. She steps forward and touches Lux's forehead to find it covered in sweat. She wipes the sweat onto his blanket.

"Heads up!" Kat hears behind her.

Kat turns to find a bucket flying in her direction, as she ducks for it to barely miss her head, splashing ice cold water all over her and Lux. Lux gasps for air as soon as the water hits him.

"What in the-?" she yells as she looks down at Lux, who is soaked with water. "Guys! I said without disturbing him!"

She glares up at Orlando, then at Isaac, who immediately points at Orlando.

Kat looks back at Orlando, who has his eyes fixed on Lux. He finally makes eye contact with Kat before saying: "Well, he's awake, isn't he?"

Kat turns to Lux, who reaches over to the nightstand next to his bed to feel his deck box still there. His other hand sit still on his chest as he continues to pant for breath.

"Lux?" Kat speaks.

"Thanks, guys," Lux smiles slowly. "You saved my life."

The other three sigh as they help Lux out of his bed.

"That's it," Orlando says. "We're never splitting up again."

"Good idea," Lux answers. "I really don't want to face the Dark Zone's boss alone again."

"I call the next fight with him," Orlando gives Lux a soft punch in the arm.

"You can have it," Lux smiles. "I don't want anything to do with that guy ever again. He's absolutely _mad_."

"Crazy mad, or angry mad?" Isaac asks.

"Yes," Lux answers.

 _Author's Note:_

Hello everybody and thanks you for the twelfth time for reading _Blind Revelations_ :) you guys are the absolute best and I still appreciate each and every single one of your reviews! I'm trying to publish a little more often now that Springfest is over for me, so I have more time to sit back, relax, and write what I hope is a fun read for all of you. Please, don't hesitate to shoot out those reviews!

I do not own Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	13. A Time of Inspiration

**Chapter 13: A Time of Inspiration**

 **Underground Bunker under the Dean's Office. The morning after Lux's dream.**

"Thanks again for showing us this bunker," Orlando says as he, Kat, then Isaac and Lux follow Tori into the bunker.

"I've been keeping a close eye on you guys," she answers. "And after Isaac told me you needed a new hideout, I thought this might finally be the time to show someone else this hideout."

"Who all knows about it?" Kat asks.

"Just the dean and a few higher-ups," Tori answers. "It's for the Dean to evacuate to in case there's ever a bomb threat, or anything of the sort. My dad used to work security around here, so he told me a few of the secrets within Cardfight University's campus."

"I take it you work closely with the dean, then?" Kat asks. "You have a student job on campus?"

Tori smiles. "I used to," she answers.

"What made you quit, if I may ask?" Kat continues.

"Priorities. Better opportunities. Whatever you want to call them," Tori closes the door at the top of the stairs behind them and reaches behind toward the wall behind her to turn on the fluorescent lights. She walks over to the others and dusts off her hands.

Lux extends his hand in front of himself as Tori takes it and gently shakes it.

"You have a very genuine heart," Lux smiles. "Thanks for helping us, even if we don't know why."

"I just want what's best for the school," Tori answers. She looks behind the others to see a Cardfight table sitting in the back of the room. "I see they still left it in here. There's a table back there for you guys if you want to practice."

"I think we could go for some," Orlando nods. "What about you, Lux? You up for a game?"

"Can I pass?" Lux shakes his head. "After last night, I still feel a little tired. Give me some time to cool off." He wipes some sweat from his brow before turning to Tori.

"Is there a place where I can find some water down here?" he asks Tori.

"Sure, there's a whole food cabinet just that way with tons of imperishables. I believe they have some bottled water over that way," she points across the room.

"I'll get it," Kat nudges Lux. "I'm a little thirsty myself anyway, and we need all the hydration we can get to stay fresh."

"Well," Orlando bumps Isaac's arm. "What about you? Care to play a game… considering we never finished the only one we started?"

Isaac looks at Lux, then down at the ground.

"I don't think so," Isaac answers.

"Why not?" Orlando asks. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm not strong enough," Isaac says.

"Who told you that?"

"The voice of the darkness. He says I won't be strong enough until I find my inner dark side," Isaac looks up at Orlando as tears begin to form in his eyes. "I'll never be able to play Dragonic Blademaster again."

Orlando looks away to see Kat rummaging through the cabinets, then back at Isaac, who covers his face in shame. Orlando sighs as he shakes his head.

"Don't say that," he hugs Isaac. "You are a strong fighter, and it's fighters like you that I need to help me get rid of that voice in the darkness."

"You think so?" Isaac asks.

Orlando nods.

"I'm a three time national champion," Orlando pats Isaac on the shoulder. "I think I know potential when I see it."

"I know you're a three time national champion," Isaac mumbles. "I watched you each year and pulled for you to win every time…"

"Seems like you've got a bigger fan than you realize," Kat says to Orlando as she walks back toward the others. She sets down her own water bottle before touching Lux's hand with the other and allowing him to grasp it.

Orlando smiles and looks at Isaac.

"Would you believe it if I told you that I need you on my team to stop the Dark Zone?" Orlando asks.

Isaac shrugs.

"Prove me wrong, then," Orlando says. "If you don't think you're strong, you'll have to prove it to me. Didn't you say you wanted to challenge the great Orlando Wyatt to a cardfight when you came here?"

Isaac nods.

"Well, now is your chance," Orlando continues. "In this strange underground bunker, where we hide to save our lives from some strange darkness over campus, I challenge you, Isaac Blaze to a cardfight!"

Isaac sighs, then pulls out his deck box from his bookbag. He scrolls through the cards and looks down at Dragonic Blademaster, keeping his gaze onto his avatar for a solid minute before shifting his stare back to Orlando, who is still beaming with a challenge.

"I'll play one fight," Isaac smiles. "Just for you, Orlando. And I'm going to give it my all because my biggest goal since starting at this school has been not only to face you, Orlando, but to beat you. If I can do that, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am strong enough to fight alongside you."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Orlando scurries across the room toward the cardfight table and grabs one side of it. "Help me slide this across the room and we'll fight!"

Kat smiles as she watches Isaac rush over toward Orlando and help him move the table. She walks over next to Tori, who pulls her phone out of her pocket and stares at it intently before eyeing the door above them.

"Everything okay?" Kat asks Tori as she also looks up at the door. "You said no one knows about this place, right?"

"I have to go," Tori says. "Kat, can you come with me? I'd prefer to bring someone."

Kat looks at Orlando, who nods to her.

"We can handle ourselves down here," Orlando says. "It's not like anyone knows where we are."

"Great," Tori shoots him a thumbs up before turning to Kat. "Hurry, come with me."

The two scurry up the stairs and exit the bunker.

Orlando looks at Isaac from across the table and holds up his deck.

"Well, are you ready?" he asks Isaac.

Isaac smiles, then looks down at the table before back at Orlando.

"Ready as I'll ever be…" he stutters. He reaches for his deck, hands shaking as he looks across the table at his hero.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" they both yell.

"Neon Messiah Aurion!" Orlando flips over his starter.

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" Isaac smiles.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building.**

Patrick strolls the room with the machine, looking down at all the unconscious bodies of those who are connected to it. He walks up to the machine and frowns as he reads a screen displaying its power level continuing to slowly decrease.

Markus walks in to spy Patrick standing by anxiously. "Everything okay, Patrick?" he asks.

"You know the answer to that," Patrick shakes his head, still wearing the frown.

"I know," Markus drops his head as he walks across the room toward Patrick. "You figured out the problem, yet?"

"No," Patrick sighs. "It's almost like one of the hostages is putting forth no effort in wanting to play Vanguard. With no will, all they do is hurt our progress. What will can people have to play the Dark Zone, if they have no will at all?"

"What does the boss think?" Markus asks.

"He hasn't said anything," Patrick answers. "Lately, it's been hard for him to communicate with me through my dreams, especially with this machine losing power."

"Well, we could always try to figure out who doesn't wanna play in here," Markus suggests.

"That's easier said than done," Patrick says. "They're all unconscious, meaning we'd have to work off our own knowledge of them."

"I say we try it," Markus grins.

"Okay," Patrick sighs. "Dean Aldrich."

"Well, he's the doggone dean of the school; it couldn't possibly be him."

"Or any of the professors for that matter," Patrick says. "What professor would want to teach at a Cardfighting school that had no will for Vanguard?"

"Good point," Markus replies. "Who's next?"

"The student body presidents," Patrick walks across the room. "Drake Freeman, Amber…"

"From the Zoo Nation!"

"Yes, from the Zoo Nation. Then we also caught Terrell…"

"I did that one!" Markus beams.

"Yes, you did," Patrick nods approvingly. "The student body presidents wouldn't make any sense to be our culprit. Could it be Terrell?"

"I doubt it," Markus shakes his head. "He likes to gamble."

"Right," Patrick nods. "So maybe… could it be Tristan?"

Markus shakes his head. "I've heard that boy challenge Orlando Wyatt before in the middle of class! He don't back down from no challenge."

"That leaves us with her…" Patrick walks over to Penelope and runs his fingers through her hair. He shakes his head. "But that's impossible. She's the sister of Alexandria Blake…" he begins to wave his hands in the air extravagantly. "...the girl who left on a naval mission and never returned. Presumed dead, dead!"

"Dead?" Markus asks.

"Dead!" Patrick leaps over toward Markus. "Her mission was top secret, so much so that no one knew of it, even her sister."

"How do you know?" Markus asks.

"I _know_."

"Do _you_ know what her mission was?" Markus's eyes grow.

Patrick shakes his head.

"Oh, but what I'd do to ask her if she were still here," Patrick puts his hand to his head. "I'll bet it was dangerous." He rubs his hands together. "I bet that she was after an extremely powerful force sitting right here among us all. Someone… or something… so enormous it makes us all look like ants. Why else would it require the world champion Cardfighter?"

Markus stands speechless as Patrick walks closer to him and gets face to face.

"But now the question lies," he whispers. "Do you think this force would be able to stand up to the army _our_ boss will have? An army of stronger, darker fighters?"

"Well, our army doesn't really have the equipment…" Markus shakes his head.

"We don't need equipment!" Patrick exclaims. "Look at the spell our boss already has over campus! It's almost hypnotic, as he lures in his followers to become strong like us, Markus! Think about that all over the world!"

Markus smiles.

"I like when you say I'm a strong fighter," Markus says.

Patrick turns back and grins.

"Good," he answers.

 **Underground Bunker.**

"I ride: Alter Ego Neo Messiah!" Orlando exclaims. "Then, I stride: Genesis Dragon, Basaltis Messiah! With my on-stride I call a card to my front right rearguard circle and lock it to lock Nadim on your left. Call: Arrester Messiah to my left. Arrester attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"I guard!" Isaac intercepts with his right hand rearguard.

"Arrester's skill: I lock it to lock your vanguard booster," Orlando flips Arrester Messiah upside down. Basaltis attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I unlock my front right rearguard to reveal Lady Fencer of Matter Transmission and I also choose to lock Neon Messiah Aurion. Since I unlocked a card, I draw a card."

"Generation guard!" Isaac yells. "Denial Griffin! I retire the attacking-"

"Isaac," Orlando stops him. "That doesn't work against a vanguard attack."

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that."

"You're guarding for 26000 to 26000 right now," Orlando reminds Isaac.

"Okay, well, I'll drop a critical trigger for a two to pass," Isaac says.

"Drive check: perfect guard…"

"That's not a trigger," Isaac wipes the sweat from his forehead.

"Second check: no trigger. Third check: draw trigger. I give all effects to Lady Fencer and draw a card. Lady Fencer attacks your vanguard for 16000."

"No guard," Isaac begins. "Draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard and draw."

"At the end of my turn," Orlando continues. "I end my stride and unlock Arrester Messiah and Neon Messiah Aurion. With Aurion's skill, I shove it into soul and draw a card. With Alter Ego Neo's skill, I soulblast one and draw two cards. Then I pass."

Isaac nods.

"Stand and draw," he begins. "I stride: Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Dragonic Blademaster 'Taiten'! With Dragonic Blademaster's skill, I retire Lady Fencer."

Orlando moves Lady Fencer of Matter Transmission to his drop zone.

"I call Dragon Knight, Mbudi to my open right hand circle," Isaac continues. He hesitates before looking up at Orlando, who is staring back at him with perfect eye contact. "Then… I activate Taiten's skill by counterblasting one and flipping a copy of itself in the G-Zone to retire Arrester Messiah. Taiten attacks your vanguard for 26000… and since he's blazing, he gains a critical."

"Perfect guard!" Orlando looks down at his four damage, then at Isaac's four as well.

"Triple drive!" Isaac exclaims. "First check: draw trigger. I give the power to Mbudi and draw a card. Second: no trigger. Third check: no trigger."

Orlando nods.

"Mbudi attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I draw a card and it gains 10000 since you have no rearguards."

"No guard," Orlando takes a damage. "Damage check: no trigger."

Isaac gulps as he removes his G-Unit from his vanguard circle.

"I pass," his hand shakes as he moves Taiten back to the G-Zone. He flips the locked cards on his field back face up.

"You seem nervous," Orlando says as he stands his units and draws a card.

"Only a little," Isaac holds his cards in his right hand as he bites the nails on his left.

"You don't have a reason to be," Orlando says. "I know what you're capable of. It's my responsibility to lead us to victory over the Dark Zone. All you have to do is do you, and you're good at that."

He reveals a copy of Destiny Dealer in his hand.

"I stride: Genesis Dragon, Harmonics Neo Messiah!" Orlando puts his G-Unit onto the vanguard circle. "The score is five to four. You've fought a good fight, Isaac, but this is my time to win."

Isaac looks down at his hand as it begins to shake.

"With Alter Ego Neo's stride skill, I call Dark Metal Chameleon behind my vanguard and lock it. Lock Shakur."

Isaac reaches to his left and locks his Shakur on rearguard circle.

Orlando chooses four more cards in his hand and calls them.

"Call!" he yells. "It's time to prove myself a strong leader of this team. It's time that we prepare to face the Dark Zone. Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf attacks your vanguard for 18000 boosted by Sacrifice Messiah."

Isaac throws a 10000 shield from his hand onto guardian circle.

"With Lady Battler's skill, I lock itself to give Arrester Messiah 5000 power. Then Sacrifice's skill countercharges one and gives Arrester an additional 3000. Arrester attacks your vanguard boosted by Blink Messiah for 23000."

"Guard!" Isaac exclaims. He throws another 10000 shield onto guardian circle, then intercepts with Mbudi.

"Arrester's skill," Orlando continues. "I lock it and the unit behind your vanguard."

Isaac trembles as he flips the card back upside down.

"Harmonics Neo Messiah attacks your vanguard," Orlando rests his vanguard. "With its skill, I unlock all locked cards. All of my unlocked cards gain 5000 power and Harmonics Neo Messiah gains 30000 since I unlocked six. Also, since I unlocked six, you cannot guard with grade 1 from hand."

Isaac grits his teeth as he stares down at his hand.

"No guard..." he looks up at Orlando as his hand begins to shake again.

"Drive check," Orlando begins. "No trigger. Second: draw trigger. I give the power to Arrester Messiah." He grins as he looks at the card he draws to find a perfect guard. "Third check: critical trigger. I give the power to Arrester Messiah and the critical to my vanguard."

Isaac sighs as he looks down at his four cards in damage zone.

"Damage check," he responds. "First: no trigger."

Isaac touches his vanguard with his fingertips before squinting his eyes. "I guess I should've known. It's okay, Blademaster. We'll get through this…" he reaches back for his deck and flips over the top card. "Second damage… heal trigger?"

He stares at the card to find a heal sitting on top of his deck.

"I miracle healed…" Isaac stares at the heal trigger, then looks up at Orlando, who smiles. "I give the power to my vanguard."

"See? It wasn't time to give up yet," Orlando says. "Now let's see if you can survive the rest of the turn."

Isaac gives Orlando a determined expression as Orlando rests Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf.

"Lady Battler attacks your vanguard, boosted by Sacrifice Messiah, for 26000."

"Guard," Isaac places two 5000 shields from his hand onto guard circle, then intercepts with Shakur.

"Lady Battler's skill: I lock it to give Arrester Messiah 5000, comboed with Sacrifice for another 3000. Arrester Messiah attacks your vanguard for 32000."

"Perfect guard!" Isaac throws a perfect guard onto guardian circle, then discards a card from his hand. He pants for breath as he holds up the last two cards in his hand.

"You did it," Orlando says. "At the end of my turn, I unlock my board and use Alter Ego Neo Messiah's GB2 to draw two cards."

Isaac breaths a sigh of relief as he stands and draws.

"I stride," he starts as he reveals a copy of Lava Flow Dragon in his hand. "Dragonic Blademaster 'Taiten!' With Blademaster's skill, I retire Lady Battler of the Black Dwarf!"

Orlando moves Lady Battler to his drop zone.

"Then, I activate Taiten's skill to retire your other two rearguards," Isaac continues. "Call: Mbudi to my left." He stares at the final card in his hand: Dragonic Blademaster.

"Call!" he yells as he throws the card onto his right side circle. "If I'm going down, I want to give it all I've got!"

Just then, the two hear a knock at the door.

"I've got it," Lux calls from across the room. "You two continue your game. It's already getting too good for there to be an interruption again."

"You seem really tense," Orlando says to Isaac, completely unphased by his bumping sounds of Lux and his walking stick, bumping the walls and the railing as he makes his way cautiously up the stairs.

"I'll be okay," Isaac responds as he hears the door open and close above them. "I'm just surprised I've made it this far."

"You shouldn't be," Orlando shakes his head. "You should be proud of yourself."

Isaac smiles as he rests his vanguard.

"Dragonic Blademaster 'Taiten' attacks your vanguard," Isaac says. "Since my vanguard is blazing, it'll be 31000, with an extra critical."

Orlando looks down at his damage, sitting at five. He stares at his hand, then directly at the perfect guard. He drifts off into a daze.

 _"I still don't get it," Orlando slouches in his standing position. "You still could've beaten me. Why didn't you?"_

 _Tori rolls her eyes._

 _"Because," she answers. "Sometimes there are things more important than winning._

"Orlando? Orlando?"

Orlando shakes off the daze.

"Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to guard my vanguard attack?" Isaac asks.

Orlando looks back at the perfect guard in his hand.

"No," he answers. "No guard."

"What do you mean?" Isaac asks. "You have to be able to guard it."

"Nope," Orlando answers. "You exhausted my resources every time you retired my field. I can't guard it."

Isaac's eyes light up as he reaches for his deck.

"Okay," he answers. "If you're sure…"

Orlando sees Lux nod from the corner of his eye as Isaac begins to perform his drive check.

"First check: no trigger. Second check: critical trigger! My power goes to my rearguard Blademaster and the critical to my vanguard! Third check: critical trigger! I'll do the same thing again!" He moves the drive check to his hand as he looks at Orlando, who nods in approval.

"I can't believe it," Isaac stares down at his field. "I hit my triggers. My dragon deck did what it was supposed to do… it won…"

Orlando picks up the cards on his field, then shuffles them into his deck, along with his hand.

"No, Isaac," he says. " _You_ won. And I'm proud of you. Now you see that you're capable of anything. You can defeat the Dark Zone, and that's good, because we need all the help we can get. Especially with Penelope gone, we could use even more help. That's why we need to all be on the same page."

Isaac nods, clutching his deck with tears in his eyes.

"Speaking of which," Orlando hears Kat's voice behind him as she touches his shoulder. "I'm proud of you, too. And Tori and I think it's time for you to meet someone."

She turns Orlando around so that he is facing Tori, alongside of a figure in a naval uniform.

The naval officer begins to speak, in a familiar voice.

"I heard you need some help," she says. "But let's get one thing straight. I'm not _your_ recruit." She takes off her hat as her blonde hair falls out and flows down behind her back before staring at Orlando with a determined expression. "You're _mine_."

Orlando's jaw drops as he utters out the only word that comes to his brain.

"Alexandria?"

 _Author's Note:_

Hey, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter of _Blind Revelations_! I also hope it gave you all the feels that it gave me :3 on a serious note though, please drop a comment or pm to let me know what you think. I really enjoy your theories and questions that have been dropped recently, so I'd absolutely love to see more of those.

I do not own Bushiroad nor its products used in _Blind Revelations._

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	14. The Call

**Chapter 14: The Call**

 **Bunker.**

Orlando stands stunned, still staring at his lost friend and teammate. Alexandria looks back at him with a determined expression before addressing him again.

"Are you just going to stand there?" she asks. "Tori told me you were after the Dark Zone."

"I-I mean I am," Orlando stutters. " _We_ are, I mean." He gestures toward Kat, then Lux and Isaac across the room.

"Then why are you here? Hiding?" Alexandria asks.

"Should we be on the front lines?" Orlando replies.

"That depends," Alexandria answers. "Do you think you'll lose to them or something?"

"I mean, they have a spell over the entire university," Isaac steps forward.

Alexandria leans over and mumbles into Kat's ear: "Who's that guy?"

"He's a friend," Kat answers. "He's a huge fan of Orlando's."

"Uh-huh," she nods, then looks at Lux. "And that guy?"

"Another friend," Kat says. "He beat Orlando the day we met him…"

"So Orlando begged him to be on the team?" Alexandria mumbles again.

"Basically."

"Same old Orlando," Alexandria shakes her head. "He did the same thing to you."

"I remember," Kat chuckles.

They look over at Orlando, who has his back turned conversing with Lux and Isaac again.

"So, I guess you heard about-" Kat starts.

"Why else would I be here?" Alexandria asks. "Tori told me everything. She's been keeping an eye on you guys for a while now."

"She has?" Kat asks.

"Longer than you think," Alexandria answers. "She's the one who told me about Penelope."

"Oh," Kat replies. "So… I don't mean to pry, but what ever happened to your military mission?"

Alexandria's face grows more serious as she looks at Kat.

"This _is_ my mission," she says.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building. Upper room.**

Patrick's face grows to a frown as he stares at the machine. He looks over at Markus, who is disconnecting the machine from Penelope's body.

"Are you sure this is what the boss said?" Markus asks.

"He told me from her specifically," Patrick scratches his head. "I can't stop remembering it. His voice echoes in my head so elegantly just like it did in the dream."

He twirls a card in his left hand; Markus looks, but can't make out the picture of the card.

"What's that you got there?" Markus asks.

Patrick stops, then holds it up to his own face with the back to Markus.

"Oh, it doesn't matter now," he answers, looking down at Penelope as Markus unhooks the last cords.

Patrick hears a faint sound come from the machine and he looks at it to see the energy level slowly begin to increase.

"That's strange," he mutters as he stares at the screen. "You haven't done this in a while… could it be?" He looks at Penelope. "The heir of Vanguard has no will to play?"

"That sounds crazy, Patrick!" Markus starts laughing. "Why in the world would they call her that, then?"

"Exactly," Patrick walks over to Penelope. "And what reason would she have to not want to play? Her sister was the world champion."

Markus shrugs. "Maybe her sister is the reason."

"She's fallen into sadness from her sister's fate…" Patrick's eyes widen as they begin to form tears. "That's so… touching."

"Patrick, are you about to cry?"

"No!" Patrick dries his eyes with his hands. "And even if I was, you have no reason to bother me with it. It's very masculine to cry."

"Yes, sir it is," Markus shoots Patrick a salute.

Patrick nods, then looks at the machine.

"Boss says we still need more souls, more powerful souls," he tells Markus. "I'll bet he wants to take precautions to make up for the damage the heir caused."

"Well, who else does he want to find?" Markus asks. "He already got us to go after the class presidents."

"It's time to prepare for the biggest challenge we've had," Patrick runs his hands together. "But this time… he's bringing it to _us_."

 **Bunker.**

"No guard," Orlando says as he looks up at Isaac. Isaac touches the top card of his deck, then stops and jerks his head back and forth for a minute.

"Drive check?" Orlando asks.

Isaac continues to sit in the same position. His eyes shift over to Lux, who puts his own hand to his temple in pain.

"Is everything okay?" Orlando leans forward toward Isaac.

"No, it's not," Isaac answers. "I hear the voice."

The girls overhear Isaac and step toward him.

"What's it saying?" Kat asks.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't understand it," Isaac says.

Kat looks at Lux and notices his hand to his head.

"Lux?" she asks. "Do you hear it?"

Lux slowly stands to his feet, then stumbles near where Isaac is standing. He stretches out his hand and Isaac takes it in his own, then places it on his forehead. Lux immediately screams out in pain.

"What in the world is happening here?" Alexandria struts toward them, but Orlando stops her.

"Lux is a psychic," Orlando says. "Well, sort of. Just give him a minute."

"I hear it… a fight," Lux's voice trembles. "It's all of us. In a big fight… against a big adversary."

"The Dark Zone?" Alexandria asks.

"I believe so," Lux answers before letting out a howling scream. "Guys… we're being called out."

"Called out?" Orlando looks at the others. "How do they even…?"

"They know," Lux shakes his head. "It's either we go to them, or they come here."

"This is crazy!" Orlando exclaims.

Alexandria's face grows to a cold smile.

"Well, you guys heard him," she says. "If it's a fight they want, we're going to take it to them!"

"Are you serious?" Orlando asks. "We're just going to barge in and bring the fight to them?"

"What happened to the three time defending national champion?" Alexandria steps forward, standing face to face with Orlando. "The one who wasn't afraid to defend himself over and over again, even when people said he won off sheer luck? Is it just me or are you starting to believe them?"

"Of course not!" Orlando answers.

"Prove it then," Alexandria mumbles. "I'm going regardless, because it's my mission to take them down. And I _will_ be the one to get my sister back. The question is: are you going with me?"

Orlando looks at Kat, then at Isaac, who is helping Lux get to his feet. Tori walks behind him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"You've got all six nations represented right here among us," she says. "I don't see any better way to take down the Dark Zone."

Orlando nods, then looks at Alexandria.

"I'm in," he says.

"No," Kat steps forward as she looks around at the others. " _We're_ in."

The others in the room nod, then they all look at Alexandria and Orlando, who smile at each other.

"That's my team," Alexandria says. "Now let's go get my sister back."

"And save the university," Orlando smiles.

 **Dark Zone Administration Building. Entrance.**

Alexandria and Orlando walk through the front entrance of the building, followed by Kat and Lux closely behind, then Isaac and Tori.

The secretary behind the desk immediately notices them, and picks up an office phone behind on the desk and mumbles into it before setting it back down.

"I'm sorry, but we're not taking visitors right now," she says.

"That's all right," Alexandria walks up to the desk before taking off her naval cap and setting it in front of her. "We didn't ask."

"Excuse me?" the secretary asks.

"No, excuse _us_ ," Alexandria answers. "We need to go up there." She points to the stairwell.

"I was informed not to let anyone go upstairs unless unless they could beat me in a cardfight," the secretary says. "Rules are rules. I didn't make it; the boss did."

"Don't worry about her," Tori pushes her way to the front. The secretary looks stunned as she makes eye contact with Tori. "I'll take her."

"You?" the secretary asks. "Aren't you… one of us?"

"Everyone isn't who you think they are," Tori smiles as she looks back at the others. "Isn't that right, guys?"

Orlando and Kat nod and smile at each other.

"Now go on ahead and I'll take out this measly grunt," Tori laughs as she pulls out a deck box.

"You guys heard the woman," Orlando smiles as the other five continue toward the stairway.

"Good luck, Tori!" Kat yells as the others begin to heard into the doorway to the stairs.

"I don't need it," Tori smiles as she gives a determined look.

 **Upstairs.**

The door swings open to the stairway just in time for Alexandria to find herself face to face with two familiar faces.

"Well, well, well…" Adrian smiles, holding his arms crossed as he stares at Alexandria. "Look who the boss dragged in."

Kat and Orlando catch up and stand on either side of Alexandria.

"Hey, I know you guys!" Markus exclaims as he points at Kat and Orlando, then to Alexandria. "You're Team Undisputed!"

"The most prestigious Cardfight Vanguard team in all the world," Adrian says as he eyes Alexandria. "I guess I should have known you'd come out of your hiding place to save your sister. That whole 'missing-in-action' thing was just a cry for attention, wasn't it?"

"Is that what you think?" Alexandria raises a fist at Adrian, who immediately flinches.

Kat puts her hand in front of Alexandria.

"Hey, let's focus on the task at hand," Kat says. "Do you see Penelope anywhere?"

Alexandria grits her teeth.

"No."

"Then I'll take care of these two. You keep looking for her, okay?" Kat says.

"Sounds like a good idea," Alexandria nods and regains her composure. "You sure you can take care of both of them?"

"Isaac can help me," Kat says as she turns to look at Isaac. "Right?"

"Me?" Isaac asks.

Kat nods. "You wanted to prove yourself, right?"

Isaac hesitates, then nods.

"Right," he answers. "We can take them."

"Perfect," Orlando says. "Then Alexandria, Lux, and I will continue looking for Penelope."

"And their boss," Lux answers. "We're still here to stop their operation as well."

Adrian smirks as he looks at Kat.

"If you think you can stop our boss, go right ahead," he laughs, then draws closer to Kat. "And as for you, I've been waiting to get my rematch."

"As have I," Kat frowns.

"Good luck," Orlando pats Kat on the shoulder, then Isaac. "I believe in both of you."

Isaac nods. Kat keeps her eyes steady on Adrian as Orlando, Alexandria, and Lux walk past them down the hallway.

"Well," Kat rubs her hands together as she looks over at Isaac. "Let's get to it."

 **Nearby room. Minutes later.**

"This room looks really familiar," Kat smirks as she looks over at Adrian. "You sure you want to play in here?"

"Cut the small talk," Adrian scoffs. He looks over at Markus next to him, who stands with a grin on his face. "What are you smiling about?"

"Patrick says you need to let loose a little," Markus laughs as he walks over to a nearby cabinet and opens it. He pulls out a small fiddle and strums it. "I think he's right."

"Keep that thing to yourself," Adrian shakes his head. "I'm here to fight _her_."

Isaac carefully walks over to Markus and nudges him.

"You got another one of those?" Isaac asks as he points down at the fiddle.

"Of course," Markus whispers as he turns his head to see Adrian and Kat beginning their game.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" Adrian and Kat both yell.

"Gifted Bear!" Kat yells.

"Amon's Follower, Barmaid Grace!" Adrian responds.

"I ride: Reader Pig!" Kat says. "Then I pass."

"Ride: Amon's Follower, Hateful Cyclone. Barmaid Grace forerunners behind my vanguard. I attack boosted for 12000."

"No guard," Kat says.

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to my vanguard."

"Damage check," Kat replies. "No trigger. No trigger." She looks down at her damage to see Crayon Tiger and Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage.

"Seems like cards you could use," Adrian smirks. "Are you ready to give your soul to the Dark Zone?"

"Never," Kat answers. "You know why I'm here."

"I do," Adrian smiles. "You thought we wouldn't expect you, didn't you?"

Kat's eyes widen.

"It's too bad we did," Adrian continues. "And I have a feeling you guys are in for a big surprise. Patrick said the boss is already waiting to meet you."

Kat draws a card.

"Ride: Binoculus Tiger. I call another copy of Binoculus Tiger to my right and a Coiling Duckbill behind it. Duckbill's skill goes to the rearguard in front of it."

The two hear a loud strumming sound and look over at Markus and Isaac, who are twiddling with their fiddles.

"Sorry!" Isaac yells.

"I use Gifted Bear's skill," Kat continues as she reveals a copy of Honorary Professor, Chatnoir in her hand. "I search my deck for a copy of Chatsauvage and add it to hand. Then I'll discard a card." She discards a critical trigger in her hand.

Adrian scowls as he stares at the back of the Chatsauvage in her hand.

"My vanguard attacks. With it's skill, I give 4000 power to my rearguard Binoculus Tiger."

"No guard," Adrian says.

"Drive check: draw trigger," Kat answers. "I give all effects to my rearguard Binoculus."

"Damage check: no trigger."

"My rearguard attacks your vanguard boosted for 25000."

"No guard… no trigger."

"I pass," Kat moves Binoculus Tiger and Gifted Bear to her drop zone. "With Coiling Duckbill's skill, I draw a card."

"Stand and draw," Adrian begins. "I ride: Amon's Follower, Hell's Draw. Call Amon's Follower, Hell's Nail. Then I use Barmaid Grace's skill to soulcharge two and give my Hell's Nail a continuous plus 1000 for every card in soul. Hell's Draw attacks your vanguard."

"No guard," Kat responds.

"Drive check: heal trigger!" Adrian heals a damage. "I give all effects to Hell's Nail."

"Damage check: no trigger."

"I pass."

"Aren't you going to attack me with your rearguard?" Kat asks.

They hear another strum from the fiddles across the room. Before they have a chance to look, they hear Markus whisper: "Sorry!"

"No, I'm not going to attack you," Adrian gestures his stood rearguard. "You can try and trick me into putting you at Limit Break if you want, but I've already faced you once."

Kat shrugs.

"If you say so," she says.

Adrian stutters. "Wait, why are you saying it like that?"

"No reason," Kat smiles. "If you don't want to attack, I can't force you to."

"Now I can't tell if you want me to or not…" Adrian throws down his hand on the table in frustration. "No! I won't fall for it! I pass!"

"Okay," Kat shakes her head. "Stand and draw. I ride: Honorary Professor, Chatnoir!"

"See! I knew you were playing Limit Break!" Adrian exclaims. "I remember your deck."

"And I know yours," Kat says. "I call Castanet Donkey in front of Coiling Duckbill."

"I remember that card, too," Adrian says. "Your strategy hasn't changed a bit. This fight will be a piece of cake."

"It sure will," Kat smiles. "But for whom?"

Adrian frowns.

"Chatnoir attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"No guard," Adrian says.

"Drive check: critical trigger. I give the power to Castanet Donkey and the critical to my vanguard. Second check: no trigger."

"Damage check: no trigger. No trigger."

"Castanet Donkey attacks boosted for 16000."

"Guard!" Adrian throws a critical trigger into the guardian circle.

"I pass."

"Stand and draw," Adrian begins his turn. "I ride: Amon's Eye, Agares! With its skill, I give Hell's Nail and Barmaid Grace 4000 power each."

"Only 4000?" Kat asks. "You need to speed up on your soulcharge. Maybe you should try attacking me with Hell's Nail this turn."

"Stop trying to play with my emotions!" Adrian shakes his fist. "I know what you're doing!"

Adrian reveals a copy of Agares in his hand before putting it into his drop zone.

"I stride: Amon's Red Eye, Forneus! With Agares's skill, I soulcharge four," Adrian says. "Then I call Amon's Follower, Hell's Deal to rearguard circle. With its skill I soulcharge two. Then I use Forneus's skill." He flips a damage facedown and moves the Hell's Deal he just called to his soul. "Choose a rearguard and retire it."

Kat moves Castanet Donkey to her drop zone.

"Forneus gains 10000 power until end of turn, and since I have an Amon card in my heart, it also gains a critical. Forneus attacks your vanguard, boosted by Barmaid Grace."

"Perfect guard," Kat answers.

"Triple drive: first check… no trigger. Second: critical trigger. I give all effects to Hell's Nail. Third check: another critical trigger! I give all effects to Hell's Nail again."

Adrian smiles as he picks up his drive check.

"This is exactly what I'd hope for," he says. "I guess the darkness is starting to flow through me. Hell's Nail attacks your vanguard. Upon attack, I soulcharge three… and it swings for a lethal three critical."

Kat glances down at her three damage, then discards a heal trigger from her hand.

"Generation guard," she says. "No pass."

"I end my turn," Adrian picks up Forneus and places it back into his G-Zone. "You're still at three damage. Let's see what you can do."

"It's funny," Kat smiles as she stands and draws. "You do know that you have to get me to six to win, right?"

"I know."

"Then, exactly how do you plan on doing that if you refuse to even put me to four?"

"Why do you care?"

Kat shrugs as she reveals Chatsauvage in her hand. "I don't," she answers. "I stride: Omniscience Dragon, Cath Palug. Then I call Treatise Panther to my left with Mikesaburo behind it, using Mikesaburo's skill on my Coiling Duckbill as I slide Duckbill forward. Cath Palug attacks your vanguard for 26000."

"Perfect guard!" Adrian throws a perfect guard onto the guardian circle.

"Drive check: first, a heal trigger! I give all effects to Coiling Duckbill." Kat looks at her three damage, then at Adrian's three as well. "I also get to heal a damage. Second check: no trigger. Third check: no trigger."

"I guess you didn't get very lucky there," Adrian laughs. "Now I can take the rest of your attacks."

"Is that what you plan on doing?" Kat asks.

"If I win next turn, does it matter?" Adrian asks her.

"You seem very confident in yourself," Kat shakes her head. "Treatise Panther attacks your vanguard for 16000 boosted. With Cath Palug's skill, I give Coiling Duckbill 4000 power. Then with Treatise Panther's skill, I give it another 4000 power."

"No guard," Adrian says as he takes a damage. "No trigger."

"Coiling Duckbill attacks your vanguard," Kat continues. "With Cath Palug's skill, I give Duckbill 4000 power, bumping its attack power up to 24000."

"No guard," Adrian smiles. "Damage check: no trigger."

"So you chose not to guard anything to preserve your hand, I presume?" Kat smiles as she removes her G-Unit. "I like the style, but I'm not sure if it means anything against me." She moves Coiling Duckbill to her drop zone. "I resolve Mikesaburo first to search my deck for Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage, then I draw three cards. Now, I end my turn."

"You're not playing as explosively as you did before," Adrian eyes Kat's hand as he stands and draws. "I wonder… are you hiding something? Or do you just have a bad hand?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kat puts her hand to her head.

"I guess it's time to find out, huh?" Adrian smirks. "I stride: Abominable One, Gilles de Rais!"

"Well, this wasn't expected," Kat eyes Adrian's vanguard circle. "You realize I only have two damage…"

The two hear a fiddle playing across the room as Markus begins to walk over, swaying swiftly with each movement of his arms.

"Um… excuse me?" Kat asks.

Markus stops for a second.

"I thought now would be a good time," Markus smiles. "I know that stride. That means he's going for the _kill_."

"I'm banking on the critical triggers here," Adrian smiles. "But if the darkness is truly with me like it has been so far, it shouldn't be hard to hit them."

Markus begins to play even louder as Kat begins to think to herself.

 _This isn't even about luck_ , she thinks. _With as many triggers as he's hit so far, this can't be a very smart move at all._

"I use Barmaid Grace's skill," Adrian says, as if in rhythm with Markus's music. "And give Gilles de Rais a continuous 1000 for every card in soul-all fifteen cards."

"Fifteen?" Kat looks down at Adrian's vanguard circle, stacked high above the table. She begins to think back of her memory of all the cards as they were soulcharged.

"I call: Amon's Follower, Audios Thunder. With its skill I soulcharge one, then give it minus 5000 power. Since I have sixteen cards in soul, it gains 15000, to become 19000 power. Then I call Amon's Follower, Hateful Cyclone behind Hell's Nail. With its skill I soulcharge one and it, too, becomes a 19000 power rearguard."

"You really are pushing, aren't you?" Kat looks down at her hand, smiling as she notices the two critical triggers that just went into Adrian's soul.

"Activating Gilles de Rais's skill," Adrian continues. "It gains 10000 power, a critical, and since I have fifteen cards in soul, you cannot guard it with grade 1 or greater from hand!"

"I'm ready," Kat answers.

"Gilles de Rais attacks!" Adrian exclaims. "53000, two critical!"

"No guard."

"Seriously?" Adrian asks as Markus's music comes to a faster, higher tone. "You're choosing not to guard it?"

"You heard me."

"Okay," Adrian grins. "Triple drive: no trigger. No trigger…" He pauses for a second before flipping over the third card. "No.. trigger."

"And you say I haven't changed," Kat says as she takes a damage. "Critical trigger. I give my vanguard 5000 power. It seems as though you're the one who hasn't changed, as you still didn't check to see how many triggers were out of your deck before depending on hitting them."

Adrian growls.

"That's fine!" he yells. "Amon's Follower, Hell's Nail attacks Treatise Panther!"

"Generation guard," Kat discards a heal trigger from her hand. "Immortality Professor, Kundalini. I give Mikesaburo the ability to countercharge one and retire itself at the end of your turn."

Adrian sighs as he rests Hell's Nail.

"I guess I'll attack your vanguard," he looks away. "Go ahead and guard it."

Kat takes a damage. "No trigger."

"You took it?"

"Of course I did," Kat answers. "You were right before. You shouldn't put me to four damage."

Adrian's eyes grow as he stares at Kat for a minute before removing Gilles de Rais from his vanguard circle. He looks over at Markus sharply, who stops playing the fiddle.

"Don't worry," Kat says. "I'm sure someone else can do that stride much better." She moves Mikesaburo to her drop zone and countercharges one.

"What do you know?" Adrian pounds the table.

"I know when to go for the kill," Kat smiles as she holds up Honorary Professor, Chatsauvage. She gestures toward Adrian's five damage.

"You know," Isaac nudges Markus. "You're pretty good at that."

"You think so?" Markus beams.

"I do," Isaac nods. "But let me show you how we do it back home." He picks up his fiddle and holds it over his shoulder before strumming a loud note on it just as Kat yells:

"BREAK-STRIDE!"

"Oh no, not again…" Adrian shivers as Immortality Professor, Brahmananda is placed over Chatsauvage on Kat's vanguard circle.

"I call Binoculus Tiger to my right, with a Coiling Duckbill behind it. Coiling Duckbill's skill goes to Treatise Panther, then Binoculus attacks your vanguard boosted for 16000."

"Guard," Adrian intercepts with both of his front row rearguards.

"Brahmananda attacks next. With it's skill, I call Crayon Tiger and Mikesaburo behind it over my rested column. Then I call Reader Pig behind my vanguard and behind Treatise Panther. Each unit called with this effect gains 4000 power and both Reader Pigs have the ability to attack from the back row."

Adrian looks down at the cards in his hand and hesitates.

"I know you can't guard five more attacks of this caliber," Kat smiles. "You might as well take the first."

Isaac continues to play his fiddle, hitting the highest pitch just as Adrian drops his hands to his side and gives up.

"No guard."

"Triple drive: critical trigger! I give the critical to my vanguard and the power to Treatise Panther. Second: no trigger. Third: critical trigger! The critical goes to my vanguard again and the power to my Reader Pig behind my vanguard."

Adrian checks the top card of his deck before placing it into his damage zone, just as Isaac hits the closing notes of his song.

"I can't believe I lost again!" Adrian slams his hands down on the table. "What do I have to do to beat you people?"

Kat shakes her head, then turns to Isaac and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't know you could play the fiddle," she says.

"I finally found something you don't know!" Isaac exclaims.

 _Author's Note:_

Thank you all sooo much for reading _Blind Revelations_ everybody! You are all truly the greatest! And thank you so much for your patience as well! I've been working on a lot of other projects recently and it's such a relief to see that I still have awesome fans like you who still want to keep reading my work. You're definitely all a true inspiration, and I promise to try and upload faster! It'll be worth the wait!

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J.J. Wayne


	15. Isaac Seeks Redemption

**Chapter 15: Isaac Seeks Redemption**

"You won," Isaac says. "You beat one of the Dark Zone players."

Kat reaches over and gives Isaac a hug, as Adrian scowls at the two.

"Don't worry," Kat winks. "He wasn't much of a challenge. It was just another game to me."

"Whenever you two want to get over your little celebration," Adrian interrupts. "You still have to beat him before you can catch up with the rest of your friends." He points over to Markus, who rubs his hands together, beaming with joy.

"It's just one more game, right, Kat?" Isaac asks. "You'll beat him, too."

"Oh, no," Adrian shakes his head. "She beat me. She earned her keep. Don't think you can just earn your way upstairs riding on her coattails. You want to meet the boss? _You_ have to fight Markus."

"I'm not exactly sure I want to meet their boss," Isaac steps back. "Maybe I should just sit out."

Kat glares at Isaac, and he cowers. "You've come this far," she says. "You were brave enough to face your hero, Orlando Wyatt. You proved yourself by beating him. So what's stopping you from winning now?"

"I guess I did beat him," Isaac nods. "Do you honestly think I can beat one of the Dark Zone players?"

"No one ever beats me," Markus grins. "But you can dang sure try."

Isaac looks at Markus, then back at Kat.

"I guess you're right," he says. "I'll face him. You guys aren't going up there without me. I want to see the face of the person who's put this voice in my head."

"Good luck with that," Adrian rolls his eyes. "Even _we_ haven't seen his face."

Markus and Isaac walk over to the table where the previous game was played, pull out their deck boxes, and begin to shuffle their decks.

"You just make sure to tell the boss _I_ caught this one," Markus mumbles to Adrian. He turns to Isaac as the two draw their starting hands.

Isaac stares at his hand, then frowns.

"Four going back," he says.

"None," Markus smiles.

Isaac redraws his hand, then the two flip over their starters.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Lizard Soldier, Conroe!"

"Mecha Analyzer!"

 **Upstairs.**

"Make sure you check every room," Alexandria opens a door in the hallway to find an empty office. "Leave no inch untouched." She walks into the room and opens a closet, then checks under the desk and in the filing cabinets for clues.

"You feel any vibes, Lux?" Orlando calls from another room.

"I can't tell," Lux answers from the middle of the hallway. He continues to scout to and fro, waving his stick in front of him to lead his path. Eyes closed, he turns his head back and forth, but all he hears are the sounds of Orlando and Alexandria.

"Well, I'm not leaving until we found whoever took my sister," Alexandria walks out of the room and over at Lux. Orlando walks out of the next room over and makes eye contact with Alexandria.

"We'll find Penelope," Orlando answers. "How in the world we're going to save her, well, that's another story in itself, but we'll find her."

"You don't have to do anything to save her," Alexandria shakes her head. She walks over toward Lux, then Orlando does the same. "I've got that covered. I'm just here to save my sister, and take care of the problem that has taken you guys too long to do yourselves."

"I think we've been doing just fine," Orlando crosses his arms.

"Just fine?" Alexandria puts her palm to her forehead. "If that were the case, Penelope would still be safe."

She brushes past Orlando and Lux, toward the last door over on her right side.

"Did either of you check this room?" she asks.

Orlando shakes his head, then he and Lux follow behind Alexandria. Lux begins to stumble as he clutches his head in pain, and Orlando catches him, leaving Lux's walking stick to smash on the ground, echoing a sound throughout the hallway.

"Real smooth," Alexandria mutters, then she opens the last doorway to find an office.

The office is lit only through a small ray of sunlight shining through the window. The leather chair behind the desk is sitting with the back toward the door.

Lux stumbles again. "Oh, it hurts…" he mumbles as Orlando squirms to hold him up.

Alexandria glances at the two, then back at the desk, just to see the chair swivel around to reveal a man she's never met, twirling a single Cardfight Vanguard card in his left hand.

"Hello," he smiles. "Fancy meeting _you_ here."

 **Back to Isaac and Markus's fight.**

"I ride: my avatar, Dragonic Blademaster!" Isaac exclaims. "Blademaster attacks your vanguard for 11000!"

"No guard," Markus declares.

"Drive check: no trigger. No trigger."

"Damage check," Markus says as he puts down his third damage. "Draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard."

"I pass."

"Stand and draw," Markus smiles as he picks up the top card of his deck. He immediately tosses it onto his vanguard circle. "Ride! Exceptional Expertise: Rising Nova!" He holds up a copy of Acrobat Verdi in his hand. "Stride: Great Hero, Rising Supernova!"

Isaac stares down at his opponent's field as Markus proceeds into his main phase.

"I call Bulldozer Dobe to my left hand rearguard circle," Markus continues. "Then I use Mecha Trainer's skill to search my deck for a perfect guard." He adds the perfect guard to his hand. "It's a good thing I'm playing charge," he continues. "I sure would hate for you to start retiring my rearguards."

Isaac looks down at his hand to find a few 5000 shields and another grade 3 in his hand. He looks at his two damage and sighs.

"Rising Supernova attacks your vanguard!" Markus yells. "With Rising Nova's skill, I search my deck for Cobalt Impulse and call it, giving it 5000 power! Charge! Then with Supernova's skill, I charge Bulldozer Dobe!"

"No guard," Isaac says.

"Drive check: heal trigger! I give all effects to Cobalt Impulse and heal a damage. Second check: no trigger… third check: no trigger!"

"Damage check: draw trigger. I give all effects to my vanguard," Isaac responds.

"Cobalt Impulse attacks your vanguard."

"Guard," Isaac places a 5000 shield onto guardian circle.

"Charge!" Markus says as he places Cobalt Impulse on the bottom of his deck. "Bulldozer Dobe attacks for 21000!"

"No guard," Isaac takes his fourth damage. "No trigger."

Markus puts Bulldozer Dobe on the bottom of his deck.

"I pass."

Isaac stands his vanguard and draws a card. He reveals the grade 3 in his hand to Markus and places it into his drop zone. "I stride: Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Vortex Desire!"

Kat eyes the card on Isaac's vanguard circle, then raises her eyebrow as she looks over at Markus's empty field.

"I call: Dragon Knight, Mbudi," Isaac continues. "I may not be at GB2 yet, but I have an idea. I call Dragon Knight, Nadel as a booster for Mbudi. Vortex Desire attacks your vanguard! With its skill, I flip a G-Unit and it gains the on hit ability to retire two of your rearguards."

"But I don't have any rearguards," Markus smiles. "So even if I let it hit, you can't retire anything!"

"Exactly," Isaac smiles as his opponent begins to unravel his plan.

"No guard!" Markus yells.

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give the power to Mbudi and the critical to my vanguard. Second check: a perfect guard, no trigger. Third check: heal trigger! I give the power to Mbudi and heal a damage!"

Isaac stares at the heal trigger for a second before he adds the three cards to his hand. He continues to stare at it, then closes his eyes for a brief moment and takes a breath.

"Damage check," Markus continues the game. "No trigger. Second damage: critical trigger. I give the effects to my vanguard."

"Now that I'm at GB2," Isaac says. "I get to use Mbudi's ability. Mbudi attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I draw a card, and it gains 10000 power since you have no rearguards."

"Well, my golly, how big is that thing?" Markus shakes his head.

"With its boost, 36000 at your vanguard."

"Generation guard," Markus discards a heal trigger from his hand. "King of Interference, Terrible Linus. Since I have no rearguards, it gains 20000 shield to guard the attack."

Isaac picks up his G-Unit from vanguard circle and places it into his G-Zone.

"I pass."

Markus smiles.

"Well, are you ready for a knockdown shootout?" he asks. "Ready or not, here it comes! I stride: Shootdown King, Miracle Ace! Now I'll go ahead and activate its skill!"

Isaac stares down at his hand as he watches Markus begin to call a field.

"I call: Liar Lips to the front left circle with a Frog Raider behind it!" Markus yells. "Then I call Airforce Eliza to my back row circle with nothing in front of it. Liar Lips attacks your vanguard for 11000."

"No call in front of Eliza?" Isaac turns his head sideways.

"Nope."

"I guess I'll… guard…" Isaac sets a 5000 shield onto the guardian circle.

"Miracle Ace attacks your vanguard," Markus smiles. "First, I'll use Rising Nova's skill to call Lethal Forward from my deck in front of Eliza. Charge! Then, I use Liar Lips's skill by putting it into my soul. Miracle Ace gains 5000 power and I draw a card."

"Perfect guard," Isaac puts his perfect guard into the guardian circle.

"Triple drive," Markus touches the top card of his deck and begins to flip them over one by one. "First: no trigger. Second check: no trigger. Third check: draw trigger. I give the power to Frog Raider and draw a card."

Markus draws his card and smiles as he looks down at it.

"Lethal Forward attacks your vanguard for 23000."

"Guard," Isaac places a critical trigger onto the guardian circle, followed by a 5000 shield.

"Airforce Eliza's skill," Markus turns a card from his damage zone face down. "I place it onto the bottom of my deck and bind Lethal Forward face up. Then I call it back, this time in front of Frog Raider. Charge! Frog Raider's skill, it restands!"

"It restands…?" Isaac asks. He looks down at his own four damage.

"With Miracle Ace's skill, since a card was put onto the bottom of my deck, I give Frog Raider 5000 power and call Bulldozer Dobe to the empty circle on my right!"

"Oh, this is just an onslaught…" Isaac trembles as he eyes his hand again.

"Bulldozer Dobe attacks your vanguard," Markus says. "21000 at your vanguard."

"No guard," Isaac closes his eyes and touches the top card of his deck. He opens his eyes after a moment and flips the card over. "Draw trigger! I give the power to my vanguard and draw a card." He draws a card, and his face glows as he recognizes the familiar golden shield of his perfect guard. _I can do this… I can do this…_ he begins to think to himself.

"Bulldozer Dobe charges back into my deck," Markus continues. "I give Frog Raider another 5000 power. Lethal Forward attacks your vanguard for 33000 boosted by Frog Raider."

"Perfect guard," Isaac puts the perfect guard he just drew onto the guardian circle.

"Woo! Two in one turn!" Markus laughs. "I love when I make people do that!"

"Are you done yet?" Isaac groans.

"Hardly," Markus smiles and holds up the five cards in his hand. "Lethal Forward charges back into my deck. I give Frog Raider an additional 5000 and call Mayhem Tiger from my hand in front of Frog Raider. Charge! With Frog Raider's skill, it restands itself again!"

"Ugh…" Isaac mumbles. "I think this is even more annoying than a restanding vanguard…"

"Mayhem Tiger attacks your vanguard, boosted by Frog Raider!"

Isaac looks back down at his damage, now at five. He looks over at Markus's damage zone, with four cards in it. He looks up at Markus's hand, also with four cards, then down to his own hand: three 5000 shields, one of which is Lava Flow Dragon, his stride fodder. Sitting behind those three 5000 shields is the heal trigger he checked last turn. He looks over at his G-Zone, then begins to hear a few familiar voices in his head.

"Isaac," Orlando stops him. "That doesn't work against a vanguard attack."

"You do know that doesn't work against a stride, right?" Lux shakes his head.

"You know to do that, but you don't know that Denial Griffin doesn't work against a vanguard attack…" Penelope sits up, her eyes red and watery from a lack of sleep.

"Don't judge my playstyle, okay?" Isaac eyes Penelope. "I don't judge your choice of running a restander."

"Ugh…" he groans. "I've always hated restanders… and that restanding booster is getting even more annoying."

Just as he looks down at his hand again, one last voice echoes through his head.

"You do realize that Denial Griffin doesn't retire an attacking _vanguard_ , right?" Penelope stares at Isaac.

Isaac freezes as he stares into the eyes of his old friend, staring back at him with an questioning expression. He feels his heart drop from his chest, down into his stomach for a short second.

"Wait a minute!" Isaac exclaims as he snaps out of his trance. "I know what to do!" He discards the heal trigger from his hand and picks up his G-Zone before slamming a card down onto the guardian circle. "Denial Griffin the attacking REARGUARD!"

Markus's eyes widen as he stares down at the card on guardian circle.

"I can't believe it," he says. "I've been bamboozled! I've been outsmarted! You done killed my Mayhem Tiger!" He moves Mayhem Tiger to his drop zone, still in shock from Isaac's play. "I can't do anything else… I guess I'll pass."

"Stand and draw," Isaac smiles. "I guess it's time… to debut my newest ace!" He reveals the Lava Flow Dragon in his hand and discards it. "I have always hated restanders, but after learning to overcome my fears from my friends, I think it's time I conquered them all, once and for all! I stride: Flame Arms, Ziegenburg!"

Kat smiles as she looks on at Isaac, who thrusts his new ace stride onto the vanguard circle.

"With my on-stride skill, I retire Frog Raider!" Isaac exclaims. "And that leaves you with no rearguards at all, and only four cards in your hand. I call another Mbudi to rearguard circle, followed by a Dragon Dancer, Marcel behind it. Ziegenburg attacks your vanguard for 26000! Blaze!"

"Perfect guard!" Markus places a perfect guard from his hand onto the guardian circle, then discards a card.

"Triple drive," Isaac flips over the top card of his deck. "Critical trigger. I give all effects to Ziegenburg. Second check: critical trigger. I give all effects to my right hand Mbudi. Third check: no trigger."

Markus wipes the sweat from his brow as Isaac continues.

"With Ziegenburg's skill, I counterblast one. Then since you have no rearguards, I discard no cards and restand my vanguard with minus two drive checks! Ziegenburg attacks again for 31000, two critical!"

Markus looks down at his hand, then shakes his head.

"No guard," he mumbles.

"Drive check: critical trigger!" Isaac exclaims. "I give the power to my left hand Mbudi and the critical to my vanguard!"

"Damage check," Markus says. "No trigger." He places his hand on his deck to take his sixth damage, then flips it face up to reveal Rising Nova. "I didn't catch this one…"

"I did it!" Isaac yells. "I won!" He runs over and hugs Kat, who beams at him.

"Yes you did," she answers. "See what happens when you believe in yourself?"

Isaac nods, then his face grows serious.

"Now what?" he asks.

"Now we need to go find the others," Kat replies. "And fast. We need to see if they've found Penelope yet."

"I highly doubt that," Adrian interrupts. "In order to find her, they'll have to get through Patrick."

"And he's one of the most skilled Cardfighters I've ever met!" Markus nods.

"Eh… he's all right I guess," Adrian crosses his arms.

"Well, it's not like we have the defending World Champion on our side or anything," Kat rolls her eyes. "If anyone can beat your friend Patrick, it's her."

"I guess we'll see about that," Markus frowns.

"Well, even if she does beat Patrick," Adrian raises a finger. "Even that won't reverse the spell on campus."

"What do you mean?" Kat asks.

"Patrick isn't their boss…" Isaac mumbles. "I know he's not… I remember Patrick… he's the guy that beat Penelope…"

"I know," Kat says. "I was there too, remember? We all were."

"But the voice I hear at night…" Isaac continues. "That's not Patrick. That's a different voice. It's much… much… darker… and more eerie."

"Good luck finding him," Adrian shakes his head. "No one ever meets the boss.. The boss chooses when he feels it's time to meet you. I've been face to face with him once, and still don't know what he looks like."

"What happened?" Isaac asks.

"He burned my deck."

Isaac's eyes grow as he looks down at his deck and scoops it up.

"No… not my cards…" Isaac's eyes fill up with tears.

"I'm sure your cards will be fine," Kat grabs Isaac's arm. "Now let's go. They need us."

Isaac hesitates, then nods as he follows Kat out of the doorway.

Markus and Adrian watch as they leave, then look at each other.

"You know you're in trouble, right?" Adrian asks.

"So are you," Markus answers.

 **Upstairs.**

Kat and Isaac bolt up the stairway and through a doorway to find themselves being intercepted by Orlando and Lux.

"What is it?" Kat asks as she looks around. "Where's Alexandria?"

"You guys have to hurry," Orlando pants. "She's gone and pulled- well- an Alexandria."

"What do you mean?" Isaac asks. "I don't think I understand this reference."

Lux shakes his head and replies, "Me neither."

"See for yourself," Orlando touches Isaac's shoulder and points to a nearby door. "Kat can explain it to you. All I can say is Penelope picked up her behavior from _somewhere_."

The four walk up to the doorway to see a classroom, filled with card fighting tables. To the back corner of the room, they see Patrick's back as he holds up a card to Alexandria, who stands shuffling her deck across the table from him, preparing for a fight.

"Alexandria Blake…" Patrick begins. "Is _this_ your avatar?"

 _Author's Note:_

Hi, everybody! Thanks so much for reading Chapter 15 of _Blind Revelations_! As always I hope you've all enjoyed it so far! Don't worry, just a few chapters to go! I've enjoyed every minute of writing this, from the intense fights, to the character development, even to every waking minute of writer's block, as you all have been a true inspiration with each and every review. Please, keep em coming, as these all written for the enjoyment of us all alike!

I do not own Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J. J. Wayne


	16. All or Nothing

**Chapter 16: All or Nothing**

 **Upstairs inside the Dark Zone Administration building.**

Orlando and Alexandria lead Lux down the hallway, to each side several doorways to offices. As they reach the end, the three stop as they view a stairway in front of them to the right and a room to their left filled with Cardfight tables, but no one inside.

"Do you feel anything?" Orlando nudges Lux on the arm.

Lux squints his face, almost as if in pain, but shakes his head. "It feels almost as if he's up the stairs, but I honestly can't tell. I feel-empty."

"Empty, you say?" they hear a voice behind them. The three spin around to see Patrick waltzing up to them, twirling a card between the fingers of his left hand.

"You!" Orlando exclaims as he points. "Alexandria, he's the one that took your sister!"

"Is that so?" Alexandria steps forward toward Patrick. "It seems you and I have some business to take care of, then."

"Contrarily," Patrick stops twirling the card for a second. "I have no beef with you. Thanks to your sister, our spell has reached new heights. Much of the world's population is starting to fall under it. You coming here to defeat us has set you perfect for our trap. As the machine began to decay, the strong spirits of your friends overcame it, causing the spell to strengthen. It will be a shame once you all are defeated, and your spirits broken."

"Uh-huh…" Alexandria nods in disbelief.

"Then again, by then, it should spring forth and everyone will fall under it," Patrick continues. "Everyone will be strong, just as the boss wants."

"And what do you have to gain from this?" Orlando asks.

Patrick shrugs.

"Better competition?" he laughs. "A wider audience? To be frank, I just enjoy being a part of something big, and now I'm the forerunner for the biggest thing to happen to Cardfight Vanguard."

"Yeah?" Alexandria asks. "Well, I'm a part of it, too. And I'm not going to let some weird magical trance cause people to lose track of their right minds. It was my mission to find you, and now you've made it personal."

"Oh, you're not after _me_ ," Patrick waves his finger. "You're after the _boss._ "

"No, _we're_ after your boss," Alexandria gestures toward Orlando and Lux. " _I'm_ after you."

Patrick walks past Alexandria and stands face to face with the other two. He glances at Orlando for but a second, then stares at Lux's bright blue eyes.

"Such beautiful eyes," he mumbles. "Almost… captivating. Charming, really."  
` "We're not a bunch to be taken lightly," Alexandria pierces the words into Patrick's back just enough to make him spin around on his toes. He smiles from the side of his mouth and gestures Alexandria.

"You must really want a fight, don't you?" he asks.

"I'm not leaving without one. Or better yet, without my sister."

"And if I refuse?"

"I know how negotiating works," Alexandria smiles. "And sometimes, you have to make an offer the opposing side can not refuse."

"I'm listening," Patrick replies.

"Double or nothing!" Alexandria exclaims.

"Wait, what?" The words burst through Orlando's mouth like a spit-take. "You can't be serious!"

"Go on," Patrick smiles.

"If I win, you guys give my sister back. If you win, you take me," Alexandria pulls out her deck box. "You can't say you'd turn down the opportunity to use the Cardfight world champion to your disposal."

"But Alexandria, your mission," Orlando says.

"If I win, I can go on to complete it," Alexandria says. "With my sister by our sides. If I lose, I fail."

"If you lose, the spell would possibly affect everyone in the world," Lux says. "You heard him. He said they've gotten a lot as is."

"So be it," Alexandria shrugs. "I came here to finish the job and I'm not leaving empty-handed. At least if I fail this way, no one will know the difference."

"For someone with such a brash spirit, she seems to have this planned out," Lux mumbles to Orlando.

"Typical Alexandria," Orlando responds. "And too stubborn to let you change her mind."

Patrick gestures toward the room to their left, full of empty Cardfight tables.

"Shall we?" he asks.

Alexandria nods, then follows him into the room.

Orlando and Lux stop momentarily as they watch the two begin to set up on either side of the table.

"So I have a question," Lux asks Orlando. "Is it just me… or did you hear fiddles a few minutes ago?"

Orlando shrugs, and the two hear the pounding of shoes coming from the stairs behind them.

"That must be Kat and Isaac," Orlando says.

Lux nods in agreement, and Orlando grabs him by the arm as the two rush toward the doorway. The door swings open just as they reach it, as they see Kat and Isaac, panting for breath.

"What is it?" Kat asks, looking around. "Where's Alexandria?"

"You have to hurry," Orlando pants. "She's gone and pulled- well- and Alexandria."

Isaac looks at them in confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asks. "I don't think I understand this reference."

Lux shakes his head. "Me neither."

"See for yourself," Orlando answers. He touches Isaac's shoulder and points down the hall to an open door at the end on the left.

 **Inside the classroom.**

"You know," Patrick smiles, shuffling his deck. "I'm really glad you made this offer. I feel you'll be the most worthy of all my opponents to date. I'd have no one else be the one to seal the boss's spell."

"Oh, shut up and let's play already," Alexandria answers. "The sooner I get my sister back, the better."

Patrick shakes his head, then sets down his deck. He pulls out a card from his shirt pocket.

"The card you were twirling in your hand earlier," Alexandria stares at Patrick.

"Right," he smiles as he begins to twirl it again. "I like to start off with a nice little show, to ease the spirits of myself and my opponent."

"Again with the stalling, I see," Alexandria rolls her eyes.

"Alexandria Blake," Patrick addresses her as he spins the card in her direction and holds it up. "Is _this_ your avatar?"

Alexandria looks at the card in Patrick's hand to reveal One Who Surpasses the Storm, Thavas. She nods, and Patrick smiles, putting the card back in his own pocket.

"Nice to see I _do_ have my touch," he says. "Your sister almost had me convinced I lost it. Keyword: almost. A man of character never doubts his abilities."

"Where have you ever heard that?" Alexandria slams her deck down between the two to offer a cut to Patrick.

"Who says I have to have heard it somewhere?" Patrick shrugs as he sets his own deck down. The two each cut the other's deck.

 **Upstairs.**

An elevator *dings* on the far side of the large white room, as Markus and Adrian both step out of the now open doors.

"Good," Markus nods as he looks straight ahead at the large machine in the middle of the room. It is still connected to several different unconscious victims who have lost to the Dark Zone players. "Patrick would have a hissy if something had happened to it."

"Don't you mean the boss?" Adrian follows Markus over to the control panel of the machine, where a red light steadily flashes on the screen.

"Patrick would first," Markus points. "Mainly because of the boss, though. He's a bit _weird_."

"Who? The boss?"Adrian asks. "Or Patrick?"

"Yes."

Markus presses his finger on the screen where the red light flashes. It displays "SYSTEM MALFUNCTION", then closes back to its main screen.

"So this is it?" Adrian asks.

"Yup, the boss's big grand invention!" Markus exclaims. "Patrick said getting all them others to show up would be the perfect trap to get it up and running again!"

"It seems to have worked," Adrian nods. "Well, at least getting them here."

"Of course it did," Markus beams. "I never would doubt Patrick. Not even this malfunction could mess up the boss's day."

"Speaking of which, I thought Patrick said he was going to show," Adrian says.

"Oh, he will," Markus nods. "He just always waits for the perfect time to sneak in without a soul beating an eye. He's like an old fox on the farm, waiting until it's pure dark out to sneak into the chicken coup."

"Did you just refer to Cardfight University as a chicken coup?"

"Yup!" Markus laughs.

 **Back to the fight.**

Orlando, Kat and Isaac watch anxiously as they watch the first few turns unravel of Alexandria's fight with Patrick. Lux listens intently as to not miss any of the action.

"I ride: Battle Siren, Adelaide!" Alexandria exclaims. "Then I call Tidal Assault in front of Kelpie Rider, Mitros. Adelaide attacks your vanguard for 9000."

"No guard," Patrick says.

"Drive check: critical trigger! I give all effects to Tidal Assault."

"But I declared no guard," Patrick reaches for the top card of his deck. "Why wouldn't you-"

"I know what I declared," Alexandria's eyes pierce through Patrick's, almost sensing a bit of fear in them.

"Damage check… no trigger." Patrick stares at the Cutie Paratrooper on his vanguard circle for a second, then looks back at Alexandria.

"Tidal Assault attacks unboosted for 14000, with an extra critical."

"No guard," Patrick answers. "No trigger… second check: stand trigger. I give the power to my vanguard."

"Tidal restands. Attack again for 14000 boosted… still two critical."

Patrick sighs, then looks at his three damage before placing Prankster Girl of Mirrorland onto the guardian circle. "I really didn't want to do that."

"Shaking in your high boots already?" Alexandria smiles. "I thought a man of character never doubted his abilities."

"Is it my turn yet?" Patrick asks.

"I suppose it is," Alexandria smiles. "Keep this up and you'll be done for next turn."

"You sure are a cocky champion," Patrick stands his vanguard and draws. "It's almost… intimidating. Almost." Patrick rides Flying Peryton.

"Almost?"

"Almost," Patrick grins. " I call Darkside Princess. Darkside attacks for 14000."

"No guard," Alexandria says. "Damage check: no trigger."

"Darkside Princess goes into soul. Flying Peryton attacks your vanguard."

"I guard with Supersonic Sailor. No pass."

"Drive check," Patrick reveals the top card of his deck. "Stand trigger…" He looks at his field to see no rearguards on his board. "Well this is anticlimactic."

"I guess you shouldn't have used Darkside's effect, huh?"

Patrick looks up to see the smile on Alexandria's face.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asks.

"I can't say I'm not," Alexandria stands and draws. "You aren't exactly presenting the challenge I thought you would."

"To be fair, your sister didn't either," Patrick says.

"I know," Alexandria places One Who Surpasses the Storm, Thavas on her vanguard circle. "But then again, she wasn't playing the right deck, was she?"

 **Upstairs.**

"So there's no way to figure out the malfunction?" Adrian asks Markus.

"Maybe," Markus touches the screen again. One of the wires coming from the machine begins to glow red, leading to Penelope's unconscious body on one of the cots across the room.

"So it's her?" Adrian asks.

Markus begins to read the screen.

"It says… she didn't give it her all. She had no will to play… no will to succeed."

"So what's that supposed to mean?" Adrian asks crossly.

"This machine…" Markus says. "Patrick told me it feeds off the will of those captured in it. Without a desire to play, the captured give it no energy, and the machine doesn't work to its full potential."

"Well, what interfered with her? She seemed fine when she faced me."

"Maybe she did," Markus says. "Or maybe she's been playing out of anger, instead of will. Maybe she didn't have a connection to her vanguard."

"You believe all that?" Adrian squints.

"Of course I do," Markus nods. "I've always taken a liking to my Spike Brothers, even before all of this Dark Zone voodoo."

"Hmph."

"Tell me, Adrian, what did you play before this?"

"I think I've had enough of this talk."

Markus shrugs, then touches the screen. Penelope's name and image appears, then a Cardfight Vanguard card appears next to her image, rotating slowly.

"That's where it shows her avatar," Markus says. "Patrick puts that one in himself. I don't know how he always knows them tricks!"

Adrian rolls his eyes as the two look at the card finally rotate on the screen.

"Wait a minute," Adrian says. "That's not Anger-boil Dragon… that's…"

"Nightrose!?" they both exclaim. The two look at each other, then simultaneously stare at Penelope.

 **Back to the fight.**

"I ride: Masked Magician, Harri!" Patrick places the card on his vanguard circle.

"You'd better turn this around quickly," Alexandria shuffles with the cards in her hand. "The damage is 2-4. You got lucky with that defensive trigger last turn."

"Shhhh," Patrick smiles. "A magician never reveals his secrets. I stride: Jester Demonic Dragon, Lunatec Dragon! I use its skill first. By flipping a copy of it in my G-Zone, all of my units called from soul will gain 2000 power until end of turn."

Alexandria nods.

"Cat Knight in High Boots triggers from soul," Patrick continues. "I call it out to my right side, then use its skill to call out Cutie Paratrooper to my left. With its skill I soulcharge one…" he stops to check the card going into soul to find Card Dealer, Jacqueline. "Well, this is pleasant. I'll call this in front of Cutie Paratrooper. Jacqueline gains 5000 power. Then I'll use Harri's ability to call Darkside Princess in front of Cat Knight in High Boots. All of those units gained 2000 power from Lunatec Dragon's skill, since they were called from soul."

"Impressive," Alexandria nods. "Only one open rearguard circle and not a single card from hand. You're going to need to hold onto that hand next turn."

"That sounds like a threat," Patrick squints.

"No, just a promise," Alexandria shoots a quick sarcastic glance toward Patrick before looking back down at his field.

Patrick nods, then rests Darkside Princess. "Darkside Princess attacks for 21000 with her skill."

"I see," Alexandria responds. "Magic numbers…"

"Well, that's all I'm about," Patrick smiles. " _Magic_."

"Not to mention you chose not to boost," Alexandria continues to examine Patrick's field. "It's a common strategy, not to mention the one I've been using with Tidal Assault. You intend to use Jacqueline to get an additional attack that you'll then choose to boost."

"Smart one I see," Patrick answers.

"I'm not the World Champion for nothing," Alexandria touches the top card of her deck and flips it over. "Damage check: draw trigger. I give 5000 power to my vanguard and draw a card." She picks up the card and places it into her hand without a change of expression.

"A good bluff," Patrick says. "Not allowing your facial expressions give away whether or not you drew a card you need. But I see through it."

"Do you?" Alexandria asks.

"I do," Patrick says. "Darkside Princess moves to soul, and I attack with Card Dealer, Jacqueline, boosted by Cutie Paratrooper for 25000. Jacqueline's skill activates and I call Darkside Princess from soul in front of Cat Knight in High Boots. Lemme guess, a grade 3? Did you draw your avatar? That won't help too much for guarding."

"Guard and intercept," Alexandria places a 5000 shield onto the guardian circle, then moves Tidal Assault to guard as well. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Sacrificing your Tidal Assault already?" Patrick asks.

"Sometimes it's better to," Alexandria shuffles the cards in her hand.

"Nervous?"

"Not at all."

"Good," Patrick raises his head up. "I'd hate to face a nervous champion. You must be at your best. Darkside Princess attacks, boosted this time, and using her skill once more. The attack is for a total of 23000."

"No guard," Alexandria flips over the top card of her deck. "No trigger."

"Darkside Princess's skill," Patrick says. "Princess once again goes into soul. Now Lunatec Dragon attacks your vanguard for 26000!"

Alexandria smiles.

"My bluff," she says. "I didn't draw a grade 3. Generation guard!" Alexandria discards a heal trigger from her hand and picks up her G-Zone. "Blue Storm Deterrence Dragon, Ice Barrier Dragon! With its skill, since this is Wave 4, my G-Guardian gains 10000 shield!"

"Anything else?" Patrick asks.

Alexandria looks down at her hand, then at Patrick. "Cards in hand?"

"Five."

"That's it," Alexandria says. "Let's see what you can do."

"Triple drive," Patrick begins. "First check: no trigger. Second check: stand trigger!"

"My vanguard is at 16000," Alexandria says.

"Right," Patrick puts his hand to his chin. "So it'd be most wise to give the power to my rearguard that I stand. That's what I'll do." Patrick stands Card Dealer, Jacqueline.

"And for the third?"

"No trigger," Patrick says as he flips over Masked Magician, Harri.

"Oh, look," Alexandria smiles. "A grade 3 to guard with."

Patrick scowls. "Jacqueline attacks for 21000."

"No guard," Alexandria says. "Damage check: no trigger."

"I pass," Patrick says as he moves all of his rearguards to his soul. "I at least pushed you to five damage. How many people can say that?"

"None that ever survived," Alexandria smiles as she stands and draws. "I stride, Marine General of Heavenly Silk, Lambros!"

"Lambros?" Isaac asks Orlando. "What does that-"

"It's her ace," Orlando interrupts. "It always has been. Last year she ran rampant through Worlds with that stride."

Isaac stands in awe as he watches Alexandria.

"I call Magnum Assault in front of Mitros and Battle Siren, Adelaide to the other side and activate its skill. Then, I call Battle Siren, Stacia behind my vanguard. Finally, I call Battle Siren, Mallika and use its skill by shoving it into soul to give Stacia 3000 power."

"Did you have all of this in your hand prepared for this turn?" Patrick asks.

"Of course I did," Alexandria answers. "Why else would I have intercepted with Tidal Assault?"

Patrick looks at his hand, then at Alexandria surprised.

"Okay, I lied," Alexandria answers. "I top decked the Mallika."

Patrick sighs.

"I call Battle Siren, Melania behind Adelaide," Alexandria says. "Just for good measure." She winks as she rests Adelaide. "Adelaide attacks unboosted for 11000."

Patrick stares at his hand, then looks down at the top of his deck. He reaches for it and hesitates.

"You're at four," Alexandria says. "That means you've only got one shot for the defensive trigger."

"You're right," Patrick nods as he flips over the top card of his deck to reveal Card Dealer, Jacqueline.

"Perfect," Alexandria smirks. "Adelaide's skill, restand!"

Patrick sighs.

"Adelaide attacks your vanguard again, unboosted!"

"Guard," Patrick places a card from his hand onto the guardian circle.

"I really like how you've protected your rearguards by throwing them into soul using magia," Alexandria says. "But I've discovered one flaw to that style."

"And what's that?" Patrick asks.

"Since you're at five, you must guard each and every one of my attacks. And each guard must drop at least one card from your hand, since you have no interceptors."

"So you're saying?"

"I'm saying unless the top card of your deck is a heal trigger, this is final turn."

Patrick stares down at his hand for a second.

"Stacia attacks your vanguard for 12000 from the back row."

"Guard."

"Six."

"What?" Patrick asks.

"Six cards left in your hand," Alexandria rests Magnum Assault and Mitros. "Magnum Assault attacks your vanguard for 14000."

"Guard," Patrick places a stand trigger onto the guardian circle.

"Five," Alexandria continues. "Magnum Assault's skill. I restand it and Magnum attacks again for 11000."

"Guard."

"Four. Lambros attacks your vanguard. With its skill, I restand both Magnum Assault and Adelaide and they each gain 10000 power. 26000 at your vanguard."

"Guard, Darkside Mirror Master!" Patrick yells as he places the perfect guard on his guardian circle.

"Now the question is, what will you discard for the cost?" Alexandria asks.

Patrick eyes the three cards left in his hand, then frowns as he discards Darkside Princess.

Alexandria shakes her head as she proceeds to her drive check. "First check: no trigger. Second check: critical trigger! I give all effects to Adelaide. Third check: no trigger."

Patrick eyes Alexandria's field, with two standing rearguards in the front row again.

"Two," Alexandria says.

"For all you know, they could both be heals," Patrick smiles.

"That's false," Alexandria answers. "You haven't guarded with the stand trigger you drove last turn, and you didn't discard the grade 3 for your perfect guard. Adelaide attacks you for 38000, finally boosted, with an extra critical."

"Damage check…" Patrick says as he flips over the top card of his deck to reveal Darkside Sword Master. "I failed…"

Kat, Orlando and Isaac rush to the table to Alexandria's side. Lux allows his stick to slowly lead him to the table.

"You did it!" Isaac yells.

"You doubted me?" Alexandria asks.

"Well, only for a minute," Isaac says.

"He's new," Kat bumps Isaac's arm with her fist.

Patrick sticks out his hand across the table to shake Alexandria's.

"Good game," he says.

The others stand in awe, staring at Patrick.

"I'm serious," Patrick looks at Alexandria. "That was exhilarating from start to finish. I've never faced anyone like you."

"Wow, thanks…" Alexandria shakes his hand. "Now, about my sister's soul…"

"A deal is a deal," Patrick answers. "I was ordered to capture your soul to complete the spell, and I failed. But I made a bet that I must attend to, because I am a man of my word. We will go upstairs immediately to get your sister back. As for everything else, that is between you and the boss."

"Thank you," Alexandria nods.

"Come, at once," Patrick leads Alexandria from the room.

"Psst," Kat nudges Isaac. "We should go with her to make sure he doesn't have anything up his sleeve."

"Good call."

Kat and Isaac follow Alexandria and Patrick from the room.

"Shall we go find the boss, then?" Orlando asks Lux.

"We shall!" Lux exclaims. "That rush of energy from that fight was just enough for me to feel the pulsing. I think I know where the boss's lair is."

"You tell me," Orlando says.

Lux leads Orlando back from the room and down the hall to a stairwell.

"It's up there," he says.

 **Upstairs.**

Lux leads Orlando up the stairs toward a hallway. The two walk past a few offices, one of which Orlando looks on to see the name "Patrick King" on the nameplate. They eventually arrive at the end to a room with closed double doors.

"Are you sure this is it?" Orlando asks.

"Positive," Lux answers. "Besides, this is the only floor we haven't searched. Even logic says it must be here."

"I can't argue with that," Orlando says as he throws the doors open.

The two walk in to find the big room empty, except for one table set up in the middle of the room.

"He's not here," Orlando says. He looks around to see a translucent glass door, and sees the figures of Patrick and Alexandria inside, followed by the others.

"That must be where Penelope is," Orlando mutters.

Lux nods. "I can definitely feel a strange presence in that direction."

"Should we check on them?" Orlando asks.

Lux shakes his head. "The boss isn't there."

"Then where is he?" Orlando asks.

"I don't know," Lux answers. "Everything just went- blank."

"How did everything go so blank?" Orlando demands. "You just felt a strong feeling from up here and then it just goes blank?"

"Listen, I can't control it!" Lux exclaims. "I can't just demand the vibes come and go. They do so as they please!"

Suddenly, the lights shut off and the door slams shut. Orlando looks in the direction of the other room to see nothing but pure darkness.

"Lux? Lux? Are you okay?" he calls. "Hello?"

Orlando turns around in the direction Lux was standing to see nothing but a pair of glowing red eyes staring directly at him.

"Don't worry. You've nothing to worry about…" he hears. "... _yet_."

 _Author's Note:_

Yes, it's true! Another chapter of _Blind Revelations_ has finally been updated! Thank you all so much for your patience and I promise this will all be worth the wait! With personal issues alongside the reboot of the game itself I had to put this work over to the side for a while, but I have returned to finish what I started (I can't just leave you all hanging like that). I have had to make a few changes to my future ideas for the book but I hope you all enjoy every bit of it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.

Once again, thank you so much for your patience. You guys are all the greatest.

I do not own the rights to Bushiroad nor its product used in _Blind Revelations_.

Sincerely,

J.J. Wayne


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